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When planning a holiday, it’s wise to check these three things before you leave for the airport: your passport is in date, travel insurance is still valid and you’re travelling to somewhere safe according to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Political conflicts, natural disasters and safety concerns are among the reasons the UK Foreign Office will recommend British nationals steer clear of certain destinations.

The FCDO has issued various travel warnings, including advice against “all travel” and “all but essential travel” to entire countries or parts of countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and South America.

Of 226 countries or territories with foreign travel advice pages, 74 are currently flagged as having no-go zones due to security issues, health risks and legal differences with the UK.

open image in gallery The FCDO advises against all travel to Iran ( Getty/iStock )

If you choose to make the journey against FCDO advice, travel insurance will be invalidated, and there may be a lack of consular support in the event of an emergency overseas.

Here is the full list of countries on the Foreign Office’s ‘do not travel’ list to check before you plan a trip.

FCDO advises against all travel

Afghanistan – “The security situation is volatile” Belarus – “You face a significant risk of arrest” Burkina Faso – “Due to the threat of terrorist attacks and terrorist kidnap” Haiti – “Due to the volatile security situation” Iran – “British nationals are at significant risk of arrest” Russia – “Due to the risks and threats from its continuing invasion of Ukraine” South Sudan – “Due to the risk of armed violence and criminality” Syria – “Ongoing conflict and unpredictable security conditions” Yemen – “Unpredictable security conditions”

FCDO advises against all travel to parts

Algeria – all travel to within 30km of Algeria’s borders with Libya, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Tunisia Armenia – within 5km of the full eastern border between Armenia and Azerbaijan Azerbaijan – Azerbaijan-Armenia border Benin – Northern border regions Burundi – Cibitoke and Bubanza provinces, Kayanza province and Bujumbura Rural province Cameroon – Bakassi Peninsula and within 40km of the Central African Republic, Chad and Nigeria borders Central African Republic – against all travel except to the capital, Bangui Chad – Borkou, Ennedi Ouest, Ennedi Est and Tibesti provinces, Kanem Province, including Nokou, Lake Chad region and within 30km of all Chad’s other borders Congo – within 50km of the Republic of Congo-Central African Republic border in Likouala Region Côte d’Ivoire – borders with Burkina Faso and Mali and Côte d’Ivoire-Liberia border Democratic Republic of the Congo – areas in Kinshasa Province, DRC-Central African Republic border, Eastern DRC, Kwamouth territory of Mai-Ndombe Province and the province of Kasaï Oriental Djibouti – Djibouti-Eritrea border Egypt – Egypt-Libya border and North Sinai Eritrea – within 25km of Eritrea’s land borders Ethiopia – international border areas, Tigray region, Amhara region, Afar region, Gambela region, Oromia region, Somali region, Central, Southern, Sidama and South West regions and Benishangul-Gumuz region Georgia – South Ossetia and Abkhazia India – within 10km of the India-Pakistan border and Jammu and Kashmir Indonesia – Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, Mount Sinabung, Mount Marapi, Mount Semeru, Mount Ruang, Mount Ibu Iraq – advises against all travel to parts of Anbar province, Basra province, Diyala province, Kirkuk province, Ninawa province, Salah al-Din province, Sadr City and within 30km of federal Iraq’s borders with Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait Israel – against all travel to Gaza, parts of the West Bank and Northern Israel Jordan – within 3km of the border with Syria Lebanon – areas in Beirut and Mount Lebanon Governorate, the South and Nabatiyeh Governorates, the Beqaa Governorate, the Baalbek-Hermel Governorate, the Akkar Governorate, the city of Tripoli and Palestinian refugee camps Libya – advises against all travel to Libya except for the cities of Benghazi and Misrata Mali – advises against all travel except to Bamako Mauritania – Eastern Mauritania and Mauritania-Mali border Moldova –Transnistria Mozambique – Cabo Delgado Province Myanmar (Burma) – Chin State, Kachin State, Kayah State, Kayin State, Mon State, Rakhine State, Sagaing and Magway regions, Tanintharyi Region, Shan State North, North Mandalay Region Niger – against all travel except to the capital city of Niamey Nigeria – Borno State, Yobe State, Adamawa State, Gombe State, Kaduna State, Katsina State, Zamfara State and the riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states Pakistan – within 10 miles of the border with Afghanistan, areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province and the Balochistan Province Philippines – Western and central Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago Rwanda – Rubavu district and Rusizi district Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia-Yemen border Somalia – eastern Somaliland and Western Somaliland Sudan – against all travel except to the Hala’ib Triangle and the Bir Tawil Trapezoid The Occupied Palestinian Territories – against all travel to Gaza, The West Bank and Northern Israel Togo – Togo-Burkina Faso border Tunisia – Western Tunisia, including the Tunisia-Algeria border and Southern Tunisia, including the Tunisia-Libya border Turkey – within 10km of the Turkey-Syria border Ukraine – all regions of Ukraine with the exception of some western regions Venezuela – within 80km of the Venezuela-Colombia border, within 40km of the Venezuela-Brazil border, Zulia State Western Sahara – within 30km of ‘the Berm’ boundary line and south and east of the Berm boundary line

FCDO advises against all but essential travel

With regard to the definition of ‘essential travel’, the FCDO says: “Whether travel is essential or not is your own decision. You may have urgent family or business commitments which you need to attend to. Only you can make an informed decision based on your own individual circumstances and the risks.”

New Caledonia – “Given ongoing tensions” North Korea – “The security situation can change quickly with no advance warning” Mayotte – Cyclone Chido

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts

Angola – Cabinda Province, border areas in Lunda Norte Province Bangladesh – Chittagong Hill Tracts Bolivia – Chapare region Brazil – Amazonas State Cambodia – within 50km from the border with Thailand in Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces Colombia – borders, the Pacific coast and parts of central Colombia Ecuador – seven coastal region provinces and within 20km of the Ecuador-Colombia border Ghana – Bawku Municipality Guatemala – within 5km of the Mexican border and the towns of Santa Ana Huista, San Antonio Huista and La Democracia Kenya – Kenya-Somalia border and northern parts of the east coast Kosovo – Zvečan, Zubin Potok and Leposavic, and the northern part of the city of Mitrovica Laos – Xaisomboun Province Malaysia – Eastern Sabah coastal islands Mexico – Baja California, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Colima, Guerrero, Chiapas Papua New Guinea – Hela and Southern Highlands provinces Peru – within 20km south of the Peru-Colombia border and the Valley of the Apurímac, Ene, and Mantaro River Tanzania – Mtwara Region along the Tanzania-Mozambique border Thailand –parts of the south, near the Thailand-Malaysia border and within 50km of the border from Cambodia Uganda – Queen Elizabeth National Park, the area immediately south-west of Kasese town and Semuliki National Park

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