The U.S. State Department continued its regular updates for Americans traveling abroad this week, issuing a renewed Level 2 advisory for France on Wednesday.

Following a similar update for Italy earlier in the week, the France advisory urges Americans to “exercise increased caution in France due to terrorism and civil unrest.”

The Level 2 designation is not a warning against travel. Rather, it’s a reminder to remain aware of potential risks that could impact a trip.

“Pickpocketing and phone thefts are common, especially in crowded places. Terrorist groups continue to plan possible attacks in France and may attack with little to no warning. There are also regular, peaceful protests and strikes in Paris and other cities throughout France,” the advisory states.

According to the State Department, pickpockets often operate in busy areas such as airports, train stations, subways, and tourist attractions. Travelers should remain vigilant, as petty theft remains one of the most common crimes affecting visitors.

As for terrorism, travelers are advised to stay alert in crowded spaces, monitor local news, and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), a free service that lets U.S. citizens register their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

France now shares the same Level 2 designation as other major European destinations, including Belgium and Germany.

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Just three days before Memorial Day, the United States issued a new travel advisory for a popular European country.

In the month of May the U.S. has issued warnings to 21 different countries ranging from a Level 1 “exercise normal precautions” to a Level 4 “do not travel” advisory.

Here’s how the United States defines its advisory ratings:

Level 1 – Exercise Normal Precautions. This is the lowest advisory level for safety and security risk. There is some risk in any international travel. Conditions in other countries may differ from those in the United States and may change at any time. Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution. Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides more advice for travelers to these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time. Level 3 – Reconsider Travel. Reconsider travel due to serious risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time. Level 4 – Do Not Travel. This is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. The U.S. government may have very limited ability to provide assistance, including during an emergency. The Department of State advises that U.S. citizens not travel to the country or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so. We advise that you write a will prior to traveling and leave DNA samples in case of worst-case scenarios.

As a record number of Americans get set to travel over the holiday weekend, the U.S. issued a Level 2 warning for Italy due to the risk of terrorist violence. “There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Italy,” the U.S. said in a statement before adding the most common targets:

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Tourist spots

Transportation centers

Shopping malls and markets

Local government buildings

Hotels, clubs and restaurants

Religious sites

Parks

Sporting and cultural events

Schools

Airports

Public areas

Those who wish to travel to Italy are asked to “stay alert in tourist spots” and to check local media for any breaking news.

Related: TSA Makes ‘Troubling’ Announcement

U.S. Issues Travel ‘Warning’ for Italy Days Before Memorial Day first appeared on Men’s Journal on May 24, 2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.

The U.S. Department of State frequently releases and updates its travel advisories for different countries, enabling Americans to be more informed about the safety and risk associated with various places across the globe.

Travel advisories therefore help travelers plan their international holidays, from deciding whether it is safe to travel to certain destinations, to being aware of low levels of crime in certain regions.

The State Department considers various factors, such as crime, terrorism, civil unrest, access to health services, likelihood of a natural disaster and current events, when issuing advisories to alert American travelers about a country’s safety level.

It assigns travel advisory levels on a scale from 1 to 4, with Level 4 suggesting the highest degree of risk for travelers.

File photo: A Lufthansa Boeing 747-400 can be seen flying in the sky. File photo: A Lufthansa Boeing 747-400 can be seen flying in the sky. Silas Stein/dpa via AP

So far this year, more than 25 countries have been placed under a Level 1 advisory, including New Zealand, Cyprus, North Macedonia, French Guiana, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Norway, Turkmenistan, Portugal, Singapore, Samoa, Georgia, Brunei, Andorra, El Salvador, Kuwait, The Kyrgyz Republic, Czechia, Paraguay, Japan, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Vanuatu, Malta, South Korea, and Australia.

The State Department advises that those traveling to these countries exercise “normal precautions,” when visiting, which could be due to low to medium levels of crime in certain parts of the destinations, as well as other factors.

There were also almost than 30 countries that were placed under a Level 2 advisory between January and May this year, including United Arab Emirates, Chile, Rwanda, Turks and Caicos Islands, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Timor-Leste, The Bahamas, Ghana, Serbia, Morocco, Solomon Island, Indonesia, Cuba, Uruguay, Philippines, United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Peru, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Italy, South Africa, France, Brazil and Jamaica.

The State Department recommends that travelers going to these destinations exercise “increased caution,” which could be due to a wide range of factors, from higher levels of crime, civil unrest, higher risks of terrorist attacks and others.

It also advised Americans to “reconsider travel” to a number of countries this year, issuing Level 3 advisories for Pakistan, Chad, Niger, Guinea-Bissau, Colombia, Bangladesh, Uganda, Burundi, Papua New Guinea, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana by the end of May.

Countries that have been placed at the highest risk level so far this year by the State Department, meaning Americans are strongly advised not to go to those destinations, include Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, South Sudan, Iran, Yemen, Burkina Faso, North Korea, Russia, Burma (Myanmar), Venezuela, and Somalia.

Advisories are updated regularly, so more countries will likely be added to these lists throughout June.

In order to assist Americans planning their next trips abroad, Newsweek will be compiling a list of the travel advisories released by the U.S. Department of State throughout the month of June.

Newsweek will continue to update this article as new advisories are released in June.

New Hampshire resident Fabian Schmidt was returning home from visiting his family in Europe when he was stopped at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) by United States Customs and Border Protection after showing his recently renewed green card. Originally from Germany, he had been living in the US for 18 years, but the 34-year-old was detained for nearly two months after being told he was a flight risk.

Finally released last week, he detailed the “dehumanizing” experience, which included being strip-searched and locked in a secluded cell, to GBH News this week. “I love this country and the people in it so much—but I’ll tell you, the system is broken,” he told the public media outlet.

Schmidt is just one of several American visa holders and permanent legal residents who have been stopped at the border returning from international travel, including a Brown University kidney transplant doctor, who has a work visa, but was deported to Lebanon.

Foreign nationals have also recently run into roadblocks trying to visit the country legally, including a researcher who French officials say was denied entry after his phone was searched and immigration officers found messages that were critical of the Trump administration.

Following these incidents, Canada and several European countries have issued travel advisories for the US. While most of the government warnings don’t specify why they were added, the timing points to the the Trump administration’s executive orders regarding immigration and the tightening of border policies.

“The whole purpose is to stop illegal immigration,” Larry Yu, professor of hospitality management at The George Washington University’s School of Business tells Condé Nast Traveler. “But then the executive orders are also tied to other issues like transgender identification, so it actually adds quite a bit of confusion, uncertainty, and concern for the US travel industry.”

Many of the European countries that have issued US travel warnings have flagged the White House’s executive order that states “it is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female,” potentially causing issues for transgender travelers with self-identified or “X” gender markers on their passports.

The recent uptick in travel warnings is already having a major impact on US tourism, according to Yu, as several of the advisories were issued by countries that are top drivers of inbound travel to the US, including Canada, the UK, and Germany.

“The image the US has always projected is that we’re welcoming and diverse,” Yu says, adding that recent events are making people think about how they see the US.

The US is projected to lose $12.5 billion in traveling spending this year, according to a new report from the The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) released this week, citing a 22.5% decrease from peak spending, falling to $169 billion from $181 billion last year.

“This is a wake-up call for the U.S. government. The world’s biggest Travel & Tourism economy is heading in the wrong direction, not because of a lack of demand, but because of a failure to act,” WTTC’s president and CEO Julia Simpson said in a statement. “While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the ‘closed’ sign.”

Tips on planning a summer vacation and cheapest time to travel

As Americans make summer 2025 vacation plans, one consideration may be the U.S. State Department’s international travel warnings. The federal agency issues a travel advisory, with levels ranging from “Exercise Normal Precautions” to “Do Not Travel,” for every country.

The level of the advisory indicates how much caution the department recommends travelers have if they choose to visit another nation.

Level 1 advises travelers to exercise normal precautions, as there is some risk in all international travel. Level 2 recommends increased caution over some “heightened risks to safety and security.” Level 3 suggests Americans reconsider traveling to that country due to “serious risks to safety and security,” and Level 4 advises everyone against traveling to that location.

The State Department weighs several factors when issuing advisories, including crime levels, terrorism threats, civil unrest, health concerns and the possibility of a natural disaster.

Countries can also have multiple level advisories if some areas pose more of a risk than others. The warnings are reviewed and updated regularly by the State Department.

The map below shows the advisories by country. Hover over a country to see what level advisory it has and search for a specific nation in the table.