Ethiopia Travel Advisory 2026
Current U.S. State Department advisory
Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security. The State Department recommends reconsidering any trip. Advisory as of March 31, 2026.
Official source: travel.state.gov
US vs UK: how the advice compares
🇺🇸 United States — travel.state.gov
Level 3 of 4 · as of March 31, 2026
🇬🇧 United Kingdom — FCDO (GOV.UK)
Advises against all travel to parts of the country
Last updated May 29, 2026 · gov.uk advice
Latest UK update note: “Addition of information about nationwide elections on 1 June (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).”
See all countries where the two governments disagree on the US vs UK comparison page.
Advisory level timeline
March 31, 2026 — current
Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Latest official advisory as captured in our snapshot.
No advisory level changes recorded for Ethiopia since we began tracking in July 2026. We log every future change here, with dates and official change notes.
Is Ethiopia safe? What the official advisory says
There was no change to the advisory level. The “other” risk indicator was updated to include exit bans and communication disruptions. The advisory summary was updated.
Reconsider travel to Ethiopia due to unrest, crime, kidnapping, terrorism, landmines, communications disruptions, and exit bans. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.
Do Not Travel To:
- Tigray region and border with Eritrea due to armed conflict, unrest, and crime.
- Afar region due to armed conflict, unrest, and crime.
- Amhara region due to armed conflict, unrest, and crime.
- Gambella region due to crime, kidnapping, armed conflict, and unrest.
- Benishangul Gumuz region due to crime, kidnapping, armed conflict, and unrest.
- Specific areas within the Oromia region due to armed conflict, ethnically motivated violence, and unrest.
- Sidama Region due to armed conflict and unrest.
- Central Ethiopia Region due to armed conflict and unrest.
- South Ethiopia Region due to armed conflict and unrest.
- Southwest Ethiopia Region due to armed conflict and unrest.
- Border with Somalia due to terrorism, kidnapping, and landmines.
Condensed from the official State Department advisory of March 31, 2026 — read the full advisory before you travel.
Ethiopia travel advisory FAQ
What is the current travel advisory level for Ethiopia?
As of March 31, 2026, the U.S. State Department rates Ethiopia at Level 3: Reconsider Travel. Avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security. The State Department recommends reconsidering any trip.
What does Level 3 mean?
Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) — Avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security. The State Department recommends reconsidering any trip.
When did the Ethiopia travel advisory last change?
The current advisory was published on March 31, 2026. No level changes have been recorded since we began tracking in July 2026 — this page will log every future change.
Does the UK government agree with the US advisory for Ethiopia?
The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) position: Advises against all travel to parts of the country (last updated May 29, 2026). The US and UK use different systems — the US assigns a 1–4 level, while the UK either advises against travel (entirely or in part) or issues no overall warning.
Related: all Level 4 countries · all Level 3 countries · US vs UK advice