The UK government has released its updated list of countries and regions that British travelers are advised not to visit in 2026. The list is published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and highlights destinations currently considered unsafe for British passport holders.

The FCDO categorizes destinations into three groups:

• Countries where all travel is advised against
• Countries or regions where travel is advised against only to certain parts
• Destinations where travel is advised against except for essential reasons

Travelers warning against “essential travel” means that individuals must decide for themselves if a trip is important enough based on their own circumstances and risk assessment.

It’s also important to note that if someone travels to places on the list, they may no longer be eligible for holiday insurance, meaning they won’t receive the same level of support or coverage if something goes wrong abroad.

FCDO Advises Against All Travel

The following countries are currently on the list where all travel is advised against:

• Afghanistan – volatile security situation
• Belarus – significant risk of arrest
• Burkina Faso – terrorist attacks and kidnappings are a threat
• Haiti – volatile security situation
• Iran – British nationals are at significant risk of arrest
• Mali – unpredictable security conditions
• Niger – rising terrorist and criminal kidnappings
• Russia – risks and threats from its ongoing invasion of Ukraine
• South Sudan – high risk of armed violence and criminality
• Syria – ongoing conflict and unpredictable security conditions
• Yemen – unpredictable security conditions

FCDO Advises Against Travel to Certain Parts of These Countries

Travel is only discouraged in specific areas within the following countries:Algeria – within 30 km of borders with Libya, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Tunisia

• Armenia – within 5 km of its border with Azerbaijan and areas around Ijevan and Noyemberyan
• Azerbaijan – within 5 km of the Armenia border
• Benin – northern border regions
• Burundi – Cibitoke and Bubanza provinces, former Kayanza, former Bujumbura Rural and RN5 north of Melchior Ndadaye Airport
• Cambodia – within 50 km of the Thai border
• Cameroon – Bakassi Peninsula, parts of Far-North, North-West and South-West, and within 40 km of borders with CAR, Chad and Nigeria
• Central African Republic – except for Bangui
• Chad – several northern and border provinces
• Congo – within 50 km of Republic of Congo–CAR border
• Côte d’Ivoire – within 40 km of Burkina Faso and Mali borders
• Democratic Republic of the Congo – border areas with CAR, Kasaï Oriental, Mai-Ndombe and eastern provinces
• Djibouti – Djibouti–Eritrea border
• Egypt – within 20 km of Libya border and North Sinai
• Eritrea – within 25 km of all land borders
• Ethiopia – international border areas and multiple regional zones
• Georgia – South Ossetia and Abkhazia
• India – within 10 km of the Pakistan border and Jammu & Kashmir
• Indonesia – specific volcanic mountain areas
• Iraq – parts of several provinces and areas near borders with Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait
• Israel – Gaza, parts of the West Bank and northern Israel
• Jordan – within 3 km of the Syria border
• Kenya – Kenya–Somalia border and northern east coast
• Lebanon – multiple governorates including Beirut, Mount Lebanon, Beqaa, Tripoli and refugee camps
• Libya – except Benghazi and Misrata
• Mauritania – eastern regions and within 25 km of Mali border
• Moldova – Transnistria
• Mozambique – Cabo Delgado province
• Myanmar (Burma) – multiple states and regions
• Nigeria – Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River
• Pakistan – within 10 miles of the Afghanistan border, parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan
• Philippines – western and central Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago
• Saudi Arabia – within 10 km of Yemen border
• Somalia – except western regions Awdal, Maroodijeh and Sahil
• Sudan – except the Hala’ib Triangle and Bir Tawil Trapezoid
• Palestine – Gaza, parts of the West Bank, and northern Israel
• Thailand – southern border regions near Malaysia and near Cambodia
• Togo – within 30 km of Burkina Faso border
• Tunisia – western and southern parts, including borders with Algeria and Libya
• Turkey – within 10 km of the Syria border
• Ukraine – all regions except some western areas
• Venezuela – border zones near Colombia and Brazil, Zulia state
• Western Sahara – within 30 km of ‘the Berm’ and areas south/east of it

FCDO Advises Against All But Essential Travel

• North Korea – the security situation can deteriorate quickly with no warning.