Foreign Office travel advice: Eight countries added to 'do not travel' warning list for UK holidaymakers after declared 'too dangerous'

The Foreign Office has added eight countries to its “do not travel” warning list. The government urges UK holidaymakers not to travel to the eight new countries added to the list as they have been declared “too dangerous”. The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issues advice to holidaymakers and regularly updates its travel advisories based on how dangerous countries are perceived to be and what particularly to look out for when visiting them. In total, 66 countries - or parts of countries - have been declared "too dangerous" for British tourists by the FCDO. 

Eight nations have been added to the list by FCDO, these are Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Sudan, Lebanon, Israel, Belarus and the Palestinian territories. These nations are categorised as either on the 'red list' or 'black list' by experts in the UK Foreign Office. The FCDO does not ban UK citizens from travelling to these countries but it says they may find themselves without any government support if something were to go wrong. The advice given for each country is slightly different but the same warning is given that help may not be offered to those who travel.

The Belarus warning from the FCDO reads: "Russian military operations are taking place in Belarus. There is some risk that direct conflict linked to the war in Ukraine may spread to Belarus. If conflict starts, FCDO’s ability to offer consular assistance will be severely limited. Routes out of the country are limited, particularly by air."

Currently the Foreign Office is sternly advising against travel, or all but essential travel, to 24 destinations on the 'black list'. These destinations are: Afghanistan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Niger, North Korea, Palestinian territories, Russia, Somalia, Somaliland, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Yemen.

The Foreign Office also advises against travel, or all but essential travel to 42 'red list' nations. This list focuses more on specific regions or territories instead of the country as a whole. The destinations are Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Laos, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Nigeria, Pakistan, and Papua New Guinea.

The advice on the Foreign Office website reads: "Get advice about travelling abroad, including the latest information on coronavirus, safety and security, entry requirements and travel warnings. Get appropriate travel insurance as soon as you book. Check that it covers the places you will visit, the duration of your visit and any planned activities such as adventure sports. Tell your insurance company about any medical conditions, including undiagnosed conditions which are being investigated, and check that your policy will cover these."