Title: The U.S. Says “Do Not Travel” to These Countries in 2025 — Here’s Why You Should Pay Attention

If you’ve got international travel on your vision board this year, hit pause. The U.S. State Department just updated its “Do Not Travel” advisory list—and it’s not just the usual suspects.

Yes, countries like North Korea, Syria, and Afghanistan are still considered high-risk due to war, terrorism, and political instability. But surprisingly, the list also includes destinations some travelers might not expect: Haiti, Venezuela, Ukraine, and Russia are all marked as Level 4 — Do Not Travel zones.

The reasons vary—some are in the middle of violent conflict, while others face widespread civil unrest, kidnappings, or law enforcement breakdowns. And here’s the kicker: in many of these places, if you get into trouble, the U.S. may not be able to assist.

Here’s the full list:

Burkina Faso, Yemen, Iran, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Central African Republic, Belarus, Iraq, Venezuela, Haiti, Libya, Somalia, Russia, Burma (Myanmar), Mali, and Sudan.

Before you pack your bags, visit travel.state.gov and review the current advisories. Safety doesn’t take a vacation—and neither should you when it comes to research.