Is It Safe to Travel to Haiti in 2026?
Haiti - Level 4: Do Not Travel
Last updated: · Source: U.S. Department of State
⛔ Do Not Travel
The U.S. State Department advises against all travel to Haiti or parts of Haiti due to serious safety concerns. Key factors: crime, terrorism, kidnapping, civil_unrest, health.
Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country in the Caribbean on the island of Hispaniola in both Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, east of Cuba and Jamaica and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western side of the island, which it shares with the Dominican Republic.
Is It Safe to Travel to Haiti in 2026?
Haiti is currently rated Level 4 — Do Not Travel by the U.S. Department of State. Do Not Travel to Haiti due to the risk of crime, terrorism, kidnapping, unrest, and limited health care. A national state of emergency has been in effect since March 2024.
Key concerns cited in the advisory:
- crime
- terrorism
- kidnapping
- civil_unrest
- health
The overall security situation has been worsening recently. Contributing factors: A national state of emergency has been in effect since March 2024., Violent crime is rampant in Haiti, especially in Port-au-Prince, with widespread gang and organized crime activity., The U.S. government has an extremely limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Haiti..
Note: A state of emergency is currently declared in Haiti or parts of Haiti. Check the latest reports before finalizing travel plans.
Traveler Impact
Solo travelers face extreme risks from violent crime and kidnapping, particularly in urban areas like Port-au-Prince where gang activity is rampant.
Business travelers encounter significant operational risks due to rampant crime, including kidnapping and civil unrest, making travel unsafe and unpredictable.
Families with children are at extreme risk due to the lack of healthcare facilities, high crime rates, and the threat of kidnapping, making travel to Haiti exceptionally dangerous.
Remote workers face extreme risks in Haiti, including limited internet access and safety concerns that make it impractical to work effectively or securely.
Data on this page comes from the U.S. Department of State, the CDC, the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, and Freedom House. All sources are updated regularly and cross-referenced to provide a composite safety picture for Haiti.
Regional Safety Breakdown
Do Not Travel Zones
The U.S. State Department advises against all travel to the following areas due to extreme risk:
- Haiti
▶Level 4 — Do Not Travel1 region
▶Haiti
Do Not Travel due to crime, terrorism, kidnapping, unrest, and limited health care.
Haiti has 1 distinct regions with varying advisory levels. Risk conditions differ significantly by area.
▶Safety and Stability Ratings
Threat Severity (0-10 scale)
Haiti has an overall threat severity of 9.9 out of 10. Crime risk is rated 9.0/10, terrorism risk 7.0/10, and kidnapping risk 9.0/10.
Governance Indicators (World Bank, percentile)
Political Stability▶
Measures the likelihood that the government will be destabilized or overthrown by unconstitutional or violent means, including politically-motivated violence and terrorism. Higher percentile means greater stability.
Rule of Law▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which agents have confidence in and abide by the rules of society, including the quality of contract enforcement, property rights, the police, and the courts, as well as the likelihood of crime and violence.
Control of Corruption▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which public power is exercised for private gain, including both petty and grand forms of corruption, as well as capture of the state by elites and private interests.
Government Effectiveness▶
Captures perceptions of the quality of public services, the quality of the civil service and the degree of its independence from political pressures, the quality of policy formulation and implementation, and the credibility of the government's commitment to such policies.
Regulatory Quality▶
Captures perceptions of the ability of the government to formulate and implement sound policies and regulations that permit and promote private sector development.
Voice & Accountability▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which a country's citizens are able to participate in selecting their government, as well as freedom of expression, freedom of association, and a free media.
Data from World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators (2023).
Freedom Status: Not Free — scored 30/100 by Freedom House (2024). View full freedom profile →
▶Entry Requirements and Health
Entry Information
Visa
Check embassy for details
Currency
Gourde (HTG)
Language
French / Haitian Creole
Notable restrictions:
- drug possession illegal including medical marijuana
- e-cigarettes prohibited
Vaccinations
Recommended:
⚠ Malaria Risk: high
Recommended medications: Atovaquone-proguanil, chloroquine, doxycycline, mefloquine, tafenoquine
Active health notices:
- watchGlobal Measles: Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel.
Vaccination data sourced from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Consult a travel health professional before your trip.
Common Questions About Traveling to Haiti
▶What is the current travel advisory level for Haiti?
▶Is it safe to travel to Haiti right now?
▶Do I need a visa to visit Haiti?
▶What vaccines do I need for Haiti?
▶Is Haiti safe for solo travelers?
▶How bad is crime in Haiti?
More Haiti Data
Not Free — 30/100 on the Freedom House index.
Governance indicators including rule of law, corruption control, and regulatory quality.
View all 195 countries color-coded by advisory level.
Read the full advisory on travel.state.gov.
Access this data programmatically. Free tier available.
On-demand country risk PDFs from 6 government sources.