Is It Safe to Travel to Yemen in 2026?
Yemen - 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 Yemen or parts of Yemen due to serious safety concerns. Key factors: terrorism, civil_unrest, crime, health, kidnapping, other.
Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in southern Arabia, the country includes the Socotra Archipelago and borders Saudi Arabia to the north, Oman to the northeast, the Arabian Sea to the east, the Gulf of Aden to the south, and the Red Sea to the west.
Is It Safe to Travel to Yemen in 2026?
Yemen is currently rated Level 4 — Do Not Travel by the U.S. Department of State. U.S. citizens should not travel to Yemen for any reason due to significant risks. The U.S. Embassy in Sana’a has suspended operations since February 2015, limiting consular services.
Key concerns cited in the advisory:
- terrorism
- civil_unrest
- crime
- health
- kidnapping
- other
The overall security situation has been worsening recently. Contributing factors: The civil war continues in Yemen, leading to instability and violence, especially near front lines., Foreigners are frequently targets of kidnapping and carjacking, especially outside of urban areas..
Traveler Impact
Solo travelers face a high risk of kidnapping and violent crime, particularly in urban areas where foreigners are often targeted.
Business travelers encounter extreme risks due to ongoing civil war, high crime rates, and lack of reliable infrastructure, making any travel impractical.
Families with children are at extreme risk due to the lack of healthcare services, high crime rates, and the potential for kidnapping in urban areas.
Remote workers face extreme risks from civil unrest and terrorism, with limited access to reliable internet and safety concerns in all areas.
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 Yemen.
Regional Safety Breakdown
Do Not Travel Zones
The U.S. State Department advises against all travel to the following areas due to extreme risk:
- Yemen
▶Level 4 — Do Not Travel1 region
▶Yemen
Do not travel to Yemen due to significant risks.
Yemen has 1 distinct regions with varying advisory levels. Risk conditions differ significantly by area.
Travel insurance for Yemen
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▶Safety and Stability Ratings
Threat Severity (0-10 scale)
Yemen has an overall threat severity of 9.9 out of 10. Crime risk is rated 8.0/10, terrorism risk 9.0/10, and kidnapping risk 8.0/10.
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 10/100 by Freedom House (2024). View full freedom profile →
▶Entry Requirements and Health
Entry Information
Visa
Check embassy for details
Currency
Yemeni Rial (YER)
Language
Arabic
Notable restrictions:
- drug possession illegal including medical marijuana
- e-cigarettes prohibited
Vaccinations
Recommended:
⚠ Malaria Risk: moderate
Recommended medications: Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, tafenoquine
Active health notices:
- alertGlobal Polio: Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines.
- watchMalaria in Yemen: Increased cases of malaria have been reported in Yemen, including in areas that were previously considered low-risk.
- watchParatyphoid Fever in Yemen: Cases of paratyphoid fever are being reported in returning travelers from Yemen. You can prevent paratyphoid fever by practicing safe eating and drinking habits.
- infoGlobal 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 Yemen
▶What is the current travel advisory level for Yemen?
▶Is it safe to travel to Yemen right now?
▶Do I need a visa to visit Yemen?
▶What vaccines do I need for Yemen?
▶Is Yemen safe for solo travelers?
▶How bad is crime in Yemen?
More Yemen Data
Not Free — 10/100 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.