Travel Alerts vs. Travel Warnings – Be Educated

The U.S. Department of State’s travel website defines travel alerts as alerts “issued to disseminate information about short-term conditions, either transnational or within a particular country, that pose significant risks to the security of U.S. citizens.”
Examples of conditions that could produce a Travel Alert are natural disasters, terrorist attacks, coups, anniversaries of terrorist events, election-related demonstrations or violence and high-profile events, such as international conferences or regional sports events.
Travel Alerts generally precede Travel Warnings. Travel Warnings, as defined by the U.S. Department of State’s website, are warnings “issued when long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable lead the State Department to recommend that Americans avoid or consider the risk of travel to that country.”
Travel Warnings are also generated when the U.S. Government is not able to assist American citizens abroad because of an embassy closure or drawdown of its staff. These warnings should be taken extremely seriously.
The U.S. Department of State’s travel website also lists country specific information including U.S. embassy location, visa information, crime and security information, health and medical conditions, drug penalties and localized hot spots.
This information could save lives. All students should thoroughly educate themselves before deciding to study abroad, as Travel Alerts can quickly escalate into deadly Travel Warnings.