International Travel
Higher-Risk Destinations
All DU undergraduate students interested in traveling to countries or regions with 'high' security ratings and all DU graduate students and faculty/staff interested in traveling to countries or regions with 'extreme' security ratings on the Higher-Risk Destination list must request travel authorization from the International Travel Committee (ITC). The ITC assesses safety and security by reviewing U.S. Department of State, International SOS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, other government's foreign affairs information, as well as a host of other sources.
To request authorization, one must complete the appropriate DU Passport registration at least a month before the intended departure date. The International Travel Risk Analyst will then contact the traveler and facilitate the ITC's review. If approved, the traveler will receive a travel authorization email. If not approved, the traveler would not receive any funding, academic credit, or University support for the travels.
Note: undergraduate travel and travel by groups of students to areas subject to an "extreme" security rating or other regions designated as extremely unsafe for travel by the ITC is not permitted. While the University does not approve of graduate student, faculty, and staff travel to these areas, travel request reviews will be on a case by case basis. Travel may be authorized based on the necessity of travel, level of in-country support, specific location, measures taken to mitigate risks, and other factors.
Considerations for Risk Ratings
- A 'border area' is considered to be within 22km (about 14 miles) or the border with the neighboring country
- If transiting through a high or extreme destination, you can do so without requesting travel authorization unless you are staying more than 24 hours in the airport or are planning to leave the airport for any amount of time.
- Below are definitions of risk ratings:
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High Security Risk Countries or areas with a HIGH security risk have regular periods of political instability and associated problems of poor governance, including high levels of corruption and failed or failing institutions. Protests are frequently violent and may target or disrupt foreigners. There may be a high level of incidental risk to travelers and expatriates from terrorism, militancy or insurgency. Communal, sectarian or racial violence is common and foreigners may be directly targeted. Violent crime rates are typically high and scams targeting foreigners are common and often have police complicity. Infrastructure and internal security and emergency services are poor and there may be regular abuses of due legal process. |
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Extreme Security Risk Countries or areas rated with an EXTREME security risk may be in a state of war, failed states or states in which the government has lost control of significant portions of the country. Government control and law and order may be minimal or non-existent. There is a serious threat of violent targeted attacks against travelers and expatriates by terrorists, insurgents, sectarian, criminal or other extremist groups. Government and transport services are typically severely degraded or non-existent. Extreme Medical Risk Countries with an EXTREME medical risk rating have almost non-existent or severely overtaxed healthcare systems. This may be due to economic conditions, war and/or lack of governmental stability. Low-quality emergency services and dental care may not be accessible. Quality prescription drugs may not be available. Serious infectious disease such as typhoid, cholera, dengue fever, and malaria may pose a threat. Travelers with moderate or severe illnesses/injuries are likely to require an international evacuation. *Petitions for 'extreme' medical risk are not required; however, travelers must address risk mitigation efforts in their registration. |
Security Risk Ratings:
| Country | High & Extreme Security Risk Ratings | Extreme Medical Ratings |
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Afghanistan |
Extreme – Entire country |
Extreme |
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Algeria |
Extreme - Areas near the eastern and southern borders; Sahara Desert; High - Rest of the country |
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Angola |
High Region - North-east of Cabinda exclave |
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Anguilla |
High - Entire country |
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Antigua & Barbuda |
Extreme - Entire island of Barbuda |
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Armenia |
Extreme Region - Border with Azerbaijan |
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Azerbaijan |
High Regions - Armenian border areas and Nagorno-Karabakh |
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Bangladesh |
High Regions: - Chittagong Hill Tracts; Dhaka |
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Brazil |
High Regions - Favelas: Ceilandia, Santa Maria, Sao Sebastian, and Paranoa; areas within 150km of borders with Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and Paraguay; Recife's Pina Beach |
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British Virgin Islands |
High - All islands |
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Burkina Faso |
Extreme Regions - Oudalan, Soum and Loroum provinces; High - Rest of the country |
Extreme |
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Burundi |
High – Entire country |
Extreme |
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Cameroon |
Extreme Regions - Extreme north; Bakassi peninsula; Border with Central African Republic |
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Central African Republic |
Extreme – Entire country |
Extreme |
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Chad |
High - Entire country |
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Colombia |
Extreme Regions - Arauca, Cauca, Choco, and Norte de Santander Departments; High Regions - Cali and areas affected by guerrilla activity, including border areas Ecuador |
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Congo |
High Region - Pool region |
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Cote d'Ivoire |
High Regions - West (Moyen-Cavally, Dix-Huit Montagnes, north-west of Bas-Sassandra) and north (Bafing, Worodougou, Vallée du Bandama, Zanzan, Savanes, Denguélé) |
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Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Extreme Regions - North Kivu, South Kivu, Tanganyika, and Maniema provinces; Ituri province; Mitwaba, Pweto, Malemba-Nkulu, and Kalemie areas; Kasai, Kasai-Central, and Kasai-Oriental provinces; High - Rest of the country |
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Dijbouti |
High Regions - Borders with Eritrea and Somalia |
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Ecuador |
Extreme Regions - Colombian border areas |
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Egypt |
Extreme - Sinai Peninsula, Western Desert, and Egyptian border areas; High - Rest of the country |
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El Salvador |
High - Entire country |
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Eritrea |
High Regions - Ethiopian, Sudanese, Djiboutian borders |
Extreme |
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Ethiopia |
Extreme Regions - Somali Regional State and areas bordering Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan; High - East Hararge region of Oromia, Danakil Depression region |
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French West Indies |
High - St. Martin |
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Gambia |
High - Entire country |
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Georgia |
Extreme Regions - Abkhazia, South Ossetia |
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Guatemala |
High Regions - Chiquimula, Escuintla, Guatemala, Izabal, Petén, Quetzaltenango, and Zacapa departments |
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Guinea |
High - Entire country |
Extreme |
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Guinea-Bissau |
High - Entire country |
Extreme |
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Guyana |
Extreme | |
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Haiti |
High - Entire country |
Extreme |
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Honduras |
Extreme Region - Gracias a Dios Department; High - entire country |
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India |
Extreme Regions - Jammu, Kashmir, and border areas near Pakistan; High Regions - Asom (Assam), Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, non-coastal districts of Odisha (Orissa), and eastern areas of Maharashtra |
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Indonesia |
High Regions - Central Sulawesi, Papua, West Papua |
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Iran |
*The University does not allow travel to Iran for any University travelers due to government sanctions.* |
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Iraq |
Extreme – entire country |
Extreme |
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Israel, West Bank, & Gaza |
Extreme Region - Gaza; High Region - West Bank |
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Jamaica |
High Regions - West Kingston, Spanish Town, and Montego Bay |
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Jordan |
Extreme Region - Border with Syria and Iraq |
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Kenya |
Extreme Regions - Border with Somalia, Counties of Tana River County, Lamu, and Kilifi north of Malinda; High Regions - Counties of Wajir, Mandera and Garissa (Garissa town and areas to its east); Eastleigh Neighborhood of Nairobi; Old Town Mombasa; Counties of West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu, Marasabit, and Isiolo (north of Isiolo town) |
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Kosovo |
High Regions - North Mitrovica, Leposavic, Zubin Potok, and Zvecan |
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Kuwait |
Extreme Regions - Border with Iraq, City of Al Jahra, and Jeleeb Al-Shuyoukh area in Kuwait City |
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Kyrgyzstan |
High Regions - Batken province, the international border regions of Osh and Jalal-Abad provinces |
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Laos |
High Region - Xaisomboun Province |
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Lebanon |
Extreme Regions - Border areas with Syria and Israel, refugee resettlements; High - Rest of the country |
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Liberia |
Extreme | |
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Libya |
Extreme – Entire country |
Extreme |
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Madagascar |
High Regions - Anosy (except its capital Fort Dauphin (Tôlanaro)) and Atsimo-Atsinanana regions (south-east) |
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Mali |
Extreme Regions - Gao, Mopti, Timbuktu and Kidal regions; High Regions - Border with Mauritania, Segou region |
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Mauritania |
High - Entire country |
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Mexico |
Extreme Regions - States of Colima, Guerrero, Sinaloa, and Tamaulipas; High Regions - States of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Estado de Mexico, Jalisco, Morelos, Michoacán, Nayarit, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosi, Sonora, and Zacatecas |
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Mozambique |
High Regions - Rural areas of Sofala, Manica, and Zambezia provinces |
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Myanmar |
High Regions - Chinese, Thai and Bangladeshi border areas; Insurgency-affected areas |
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Nepal |
High Region - South |
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Nicaragua |
High - Entire country |
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Niger |
High - Entire country |
Extreme |
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Nigeria |
Extreme Region - Borno State; High - Rest of the country |
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North Korea |
*Travel Ban in Effect* Extreme – entire country |
Extreme |
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Oman |
Extreme Region - Border areas near Saudi Arabia and Yemen |
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Pakistan |
Extreme Regions - Baluchistan Province, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province including the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA); High - Rest of the country |
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Panama |
Extreme Regions - Darien, Mosquito Coast |
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Papua New Guinea |
High - Entire country |
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Peru |
Extreme Regions - Ene, Apurimac, and Mantaro River Valley (VRAEM) and border near Colombia in the Loreto Region |
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Philippines |
Extreme Regions - Areas of insurgency, especially Malawi City in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago; High Regions - other areas in Mindanao and Central Visayas, including both Cebu and Bohol provinces |
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Russia |
Extreme Regions - The North Caucasus republics of Dagestan, Inigushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Chechnya, Mount Elbrus, and Crimea. High - Rest of the entire country |
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Rwanda |
High Regions - Border areas with Burundi and Democratic Republic of the Congo |
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Saudi Arabia |
Extreme Region - Yemen border areas; High Region - Iraq border areas |
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Sierra Leone |
Extreme | |
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Somalia |
Extreme – Entire country |
Extreme |
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South Africa |
High Regions - Deprived urban areas |
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South Sudan |
Extreme – Entire country |
Extreme |
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Sri Lanka |
High Regions - Northern province outside Jaffa and Eastern province |
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Sudan |
Extreme Regions - Darfur and South Kordofan; High Regions - , West Kordofan and Blue Nile states |
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Syria |
Extreme – Entire country |
Extreme |
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Tajikistan |
High Regions - Afghan border; districts of Garm, Tavildara (both Rasht Valley in the region of Republican Subordination); Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast |
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Thailand |
High Regions - Areas of southern insurgency, especially Narathiwat, Yala, Songjkhla, and Pattani |
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Trinidad & Tobago |
High Regions - Laventille, Beetham |
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Tunisia |
Extreme Regions - Border areas with Libya, Western mountainous areas; Jendouba south of Ain Drahem, Kasserine, Sidi Bou Zid, desert south of Remada |
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Turkey |
Extreme Region - Border areas with Syria including the southeastern provinces of Hatay, Kilis, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Sirnak, Diyarbakir, Van, Siirt, Mus, Mardin, Batman, Bingol, Tunceli, Hakkari, and Bitlis; High - Rest of the country |
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Turkmenistan |
High Region - Border areas with Afghanistan |
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Uganda |
High Regions - Border areas with Congo (DRC), South Sudan |
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Ukraine |
Extreme Regions - Crimea and eastern border regions (Donetsk and Luhansk); High - Rest of the country |
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Uzbekistan |
High Regions - Afghan, Kyrgyz borders, Fergana Valley |
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Venezuela |
Extreme Regions - Caracas and border near Colombia; High - Entire country |
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Yemen |
Extreme – Entire country |
Extreme |