us travel watchdog

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• For International Visitors

Know Before You Visit

Almost a million individuals enter the U.S. daily. Everyone arriving at a port of entry to the U.S. is subject to inspection by Customs and Border Protection officers for compliance with immigration, customs and agriculture regulations. The more international travelers know about what to expect, the easier and quicker the process becomes.  

Related Travel Resources

• Money and Other Monetary Instruments  
• Prohibited and Restricted Items

The Latest on U.S. Travel Restrictions

By Lauren Hard Oct. 19, 2021

• Share full article

What to Know: U.S. Travel Restrictions

Beginning today, international visitors who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus can enter the United States by air or across the land borders with Canada and Mexico.

Here’s the latest →

The new policy ends an 18-month ban on nonessential travel from 33 countries, including China, Brazil and European Union members. The ban had affected tourists and those hoping to visit family and friends in the U.S.

The rules reorient the U.S. approach to vetting its visitors during the pandemic.

Instead of basing entry decisions on travelers’ countries of origin, the U.S. is focusing on vaccination status.

International visitors flying into the U.S. now need to show proof of vaccination before boarding and a negative coronavirus test taken within three days of their flight.

The three vaccines available in the U.S. — Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — are accepted, as are vaccines cleared for emergency use by the W.H.O., including AstraZeneca and Covaxin.

Unvaccinated foreign visitors cannot enter the country, with limited exemptions.

Unvaccinated Americans returning home need to test negative for the coronavirus within one day of their flight and show proof they have purchased another test to take after arriving.

The hope is with these longstanding bans being lifted, the U.S. tourism industry will start to recover. The halt on travel caused a loss of nearly $300 billion in visitor spending, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

Keep up with the latest travel news, trends and feature stories.

Advertisement

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock Locked padlock icon ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

COVID-19 international travel advisories

If you plan to visit the U.S., you do not need to be tested or vaccinated for COVID-19. U.S. citizens going abroad, check with the Department of State for travel advisories.

COVID-19 testing and vaccine rules for entering the U.S.

• As of May 12, 2023, noncitizen nonimmigrant visitors to the U.S.  arriving by air  or  arriving by land or sea  no longer need to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 
• As of June 12, 2022,  people entering the U.S. no longer need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test . 

U.S. citizens traveling to a country outside the U.S.

Find country-specific COVID-19 travel rules from the Department of State.

See the  CDC's COVID-19 guidance for safer international travel.

LAST UPDATED: December 6, 2023

Have a question?

Ask a real person any government-related question for free. They will get you the answer or let you know where to find it.

We've detected unusual activity from your computer network

To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy .

For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.

US watchdog to audit Buttigieg government jet use

• Medium Text

Sign up here.

Reporting by David Shepardson Editing by Chris Reese and Bill Berkrot

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

World Chevron

Explainer: What is happening with Venezuela's election?

Venezuelan presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez said he is committed to carrying out a transition that will allow exiled people to return to the country and political prisoners to be freed, in his first remarks since he was named last week to carry the banner of the opposition coalition into an election later this year.

Update April 12, 2024

Information for u.s. citizens in the middle east.

• Travel Advisories |
• Contact Us |
• MyTravelGov |

Find U.S. Embassies & Consulates

Travel.state.gov, congressional liaison, special issuance agency, u.s. passports, international travel, intercountry adoption, international parental child abduction, records and authentications, popular links, travel advisories, mytravelgov, stay connected, legal resources, legal information, info for u.s. law enforcement, replace or certify documents, external link.

You are about to leave travel.state.gov for an external website that is not maintained by the U.S. Department of State.

Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message.

You are about to visit:

US Travel Header Utility Menu

• Future of Travel Mobility
• Travel Action Network
• Commission on Seamless & Secure Travel
• Travel Works
• Journey to Clean

Header Utility Social Links

• Follow us on FOLLOW US
• Follow us on Twitter
• Follow us on LinkedIn
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook

User account menu

Hundreds of Travel Advocates from 50 States Call for Action on Capitol Hill

Every day, we are pursuing our unique mission to increase travel to and within the united states., featured news.

PRESS RELEASE Congress Passes Much-Awaited Funding for Assistant Secretary for Travel and Tourism

PRESS RELEASE Global Meetings Industry Day on April 11 Champions Value, Benefits of Business Events and Meetings

PRESS RELEASE U.S. Travel Applauds Much-Needed Funding to Lower Visitor Visa Wait Times

TRAVEL: POWERING THE ECONOMY. CONNECTING AMERICA.

Learn more about the impact of the travel industry, american jobs.

In 2023, the travel industry directly employed 8 million Americans and supported nearly 15 million jobs .

National GDP

The travel industry represents 2.5% of our national GDP. Travel is a top services export for our nation and has the unique ability to generate a trade surplus for the U.S. economy.

Economic Output

$2.8 trillion.

Travel accounted for $1.3 trillion in direct spending in 2023—which produced an economic footprint of $2.8 trillion .

It is regretted that for health reasons our advice service is temporarily discontinued. We hope to be back soon.

travelwatchdog.com

For more than 10 years, Travelwatchdog has existed as a voluntary service to help the traveller. Have you suffered at the hands of a tour operator, travel agent, holiday company, bucket shop, airline, hotel or any other organisation involved in the travel trade, or had an accident or illness abroad? Are you looking for interesting travel experiences ? In addition to helping members of the public who have problems with the travel trade, we also report and advise independently on trips for the traveller of which we have direct experience, some of which will not be found in the brochure. Do you have a particularly good travel experience about which you would like to tell others? We give equal space to both Saints and Sinners in the industry. You can contact our HELP DESK by clicking here.   We are pleased that over recent years our focus has achieved a better balance between helping travellers with problems and advising those who are planning trips. More and more travellers are consulting us, particularly about 'that trip of a lifetime'. We welcome your enquiries. There is no fee or obligation and we do not try to sell you anything. Difficult to believe, but true! If you in any way doubt your ability to get justice from one of the industry sinners please read Eileen's Story at this link and that of Shirley, immediately below. There is no travel ombudsman and some elements of the industry have a poor record when it comes to dealing with justified complaints. Moreover, almost all travel sites offering help are actually selling something. We are not. Some travel agents and tour operators, particularly those joining the trade via the internet, will steadfastly reject even the most convincing of evidence, feeling safe in the knowledge that there is very little chance of ever being held to account. ABTA, being funded by the industry will support their paymasters in almost all cases, whereas we accept no support or 'free trips' and promise 100% honesty. If you have a legitimate complaint we try to help. If you do not, we say so. Similarly, unlike media correspondents, we do not travel as 'guests of the company'. What we write about a trip is our honest opinion, not a fudge in case our free travel is cut off! The bottom line is that you can trust our advice and the information given in our travel articles. If you have a complaint, simply want some travel advice, or have a good travel story to tell, please contact us using the form at this link Traveller! Whatever else you do during this visit, please read the thumbnails on this page. It could save you money and heartache . USA National Parks Abandoning Animal Conservation Principles   What travellers considering a visit to the USA should know before deciding to make the journey.   Prior to the year 1800, some 60,000,000 Bison roamed wild in America. Today that number is probably no more than 15,000, the remainder having been hunted or lost through disease. 1,000 years ago Bears roamed the forests of Britain but are now extinct due to hunting and disease and those still populating other parts of Europe are under threat. Unfortunately, it appears that despite the lessons of history, those charged with custody of the planet’s endangered animals have learned very little and Yellowstone National Park is set to become the latest US location to cave in to the hunting/gun lobby by withdrawing protection from rare animal species. Yellowstone was almost certainly the first national park in the world and covers c3500 square miles. Principally in the state of Wyoming, but with some territory in Montana and Idaho, it has a unique ecosystem and around the world is generally but erroneously believed to be a totally safe sanctuary for wild animals. Probably the most famous of the wildlife inhabitants of this park is the rare Grizzly Bear, made even more famous by the iconic cartoon character Yogi Bear. An estimated 717 of this endangered species are spread over the area of the park giving each individual bear around five square miles of territory, but their numbers are soon to be reduced still further. Every year millions of tourists are attracted to the USA. Most do not go to see the human inhabitants or cities. Above all they go to see the landscape and wildlife - everyone without exception dreams of seeing a bear . Few will meet that aspiration and the chances of doing so will be reduced even further if the slaughter of the US Bear population is extended from the killing fields of Florida into this unique national asset. In the past year the plight of Bears in the USA has become precarious. In the latter part of 2015 Florida issued licenses to hunters to kill around 300 Black Bears and New Jersey soon followed suit, both despite the rarity of the species. The motivating factors include pressure from Hunters, generally a redneck underclass, but with a powerful voice, revenue from selling hunting licenses and business interests focused on securing land for development. In Florida the killing was particularly horrendous, with solid evidence of lactating mothers being shot thusß leaving orphaned cubs to die a lonely death, with other animals wounded and simply limping away to die. First reports from New Jersey suggest a similar scenario. Lame excuses citing fear of the dangers arising from contact with human beings are put into context by the fact that the average loss of human life through such contact throughout the entire USA is two persons each year. This is two deaths too many, but set against the annual figure of 1,000 hunting accident gunshot wounds resulting in about 100 fatalities, and the 30,000+ Americans murdered by guns each year, it does seem to be grasping at straws. The latest attack on these Bears arises with the proposed removal, by the government, of the protection afforded to the few remaining Grizzly's. If this happens the future looks bleak both for the Bears and for those who visit the USA in the hope of seeing them. The decision will be made by Fish & Wildlife Director, Dan Ashe, a politician with a reputation for being an avid killer of animals for pleasure. If permission is granted, this could spell the beginning of the end for America's national parks that without their wildlife are just sterile attractions devoid of interest.

Are my days in Yellowstone Numbered? The impact on the tourist industry will eventually be massive. Throughout the world animal species are under unrelenting attack and many are endangered or will soon become so. In developing countries this is understandable even if unacceptable, simply because poor countries will struggle to improve economic performance by whatever means are available to them. There is a view, and a perfectly reasonable one, that wild animals belong to planet earth and not to individuals or nations who are merely custodians for the time being. An extension of that view is that even if you take no action to influence the wildlife decisions of other custodians, there is a duty to preserve those species with which you have personally been entrusted. In the case of the Grizzly Bears of Yellowstone National Park, they are in the custody of the USA in general and the US Fish and Wildlife Commission in particular. Commissioner Ashe has an international responsibility to ensure their preservation. In the worst case scenario hunting, followed by disease, could very easily eradicate these bears from the area. Many visitors to the USA are attracted by the unique nature of these national parks that are generally regarded as inviolable animal sanctuaries. Remove the protection and each becomes just another piece of real estate into which the abhorrent gun culture has been extended. (If there is one certain fact that the USA has not taken on board, it is the incredulity of the developed world at their tolerance of violent crime generated by the failure to control the use of guns that are still protected by an enactment introduced when there was no organised law enforcement and the musket was the available weapon.) Even more irresponsible is that removing the protection from a single park damages the integrity of the whole system and starts the inevitable destruction of a unique American attraction that people like George Catlin and John Muir worked so hard to promote. Are there alternatives for your trip? Of course there are! Recent developments in China, the wilderness areas of Russia and particularly Argentina and Patagonia are just a few of the options a traveller can consider. They do not have the attraction of the Yellowstone Grizzly’s, but if those unique animals become simply a trophy on the wall of a gun crazy redneck, there is little else of special appeal. Sadly, the Bison lesson is being ignored. Wild animals never kill for sport. Man is the only one to whom the torture and death of his fellow creatures is amusing in itself! James Anthony Froude - English Historian and Scholar (1818-1894)

General Travel Advice Even the experienced traveller needs to take a great deal of care in planning a trip. Most of the time nothing goes wrong, but if it does you really do need to be prepared. Take advantage of our printable travel trip check list and avoid the pitfalls that are regularly reported to us. Travel Insurance In recent months we have had many cases where holiday stopping events have occured after booking. ALWAYS arrange travel insurance as soon as you make your flight or holiday booking. Tour operators and travel agents will not normally refund however bad the tragedy. They make sympathetic noises but some see it as a bonus rather than a problem. To them it's a holiday they may be able to sell twice! Use our travellers check list at this link. Travel Regulation Care Travellers must be aware that it is their personal responsibility to ensure that they meet all Visa and other travel requirements before commencing their journey. The consequence of not doing so can be profound. Mr K's family recently travelled to Brazil without him, but when Mrs K and her children attempted to return to the UK, they were prevented from doing so by the Brazilian authorities who will not allow a lone parent to take children out of the country. In this case, not being aware of the regulations before travel has caused a great deal of distress and additional expense. Expect travel agents and airlines to offer advice on such matters, but they do not have the final responsibility; YOU DO! Check with the visa section of the relevant embassy if you are not certain that you are absolutely aware of the requirements you must meet for your journey. Stop being a 'Sticky' Customer! What is a 'sticky' customer? This is a term companies apply to those customers who either by design or ignorance can be relied upon to stay with the company. This happens where a company earns a reputation for being good value and despite market trends offering better value almost everywhere else, the company retains its customers because those customers are too lazy or too foolish to research other opportunities. Beware Europcar on the Continent Over the past couple of years we have had a number of e-mails about outrageous charges levied by Europcar for minor damage to hire cars. Europcar, owned by EURAZEO, is a franchise organisation with some very dodgy franchisees. Nice seems to be the worst place to hire from this company. The credit card of one customer was debited over €919 for a small dent in a bumper caused when they left the vehicle in a car park. More recently, another Europcar Nice customer's card was debited more than €500 for a dent in the steel wheel of a Peugeot and another in Malaga, €800 for a broken clutch cable! You can avoid such overcharging by using a credit card with a very low spend limit or avoiding this company altogether.   Before Travelling to any suspect region, check the latest travel advice with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office:     Finding new experiences is one of the great joys of travel. In these days when conforming to a pattern is more and more a part of life, when you find something different it is worth letting people know. If you are going to the Auburn area of California drop in and see Charlie Green at his fabulous winery in the hills.   USA Car Hire Scam - Read and be Prepared You may be charged hundreds of dollars for rental car insurance -- even if you decline it! Hundreds of stories on consumer advocate website InvestigativeGuy.com describe being overcharged hundreds of dollars by Dollar Rent a Car and its sister company, Thrifty Car Rental. The website is run by San Diego attorney and investigative journalist John Mattes, who is currently counsel in two insurance overcharges lawsuits against Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group . How does the alleged "scam" work? Consumers complain that the employees do one or more of the following: a) Claim that the rental car insurance is mandatory (often claiming a "new law" specific to the state/country the traveler is in) b) Tell the consumer they won't be charged for insurance, but add on the charges before the consumer signs c) Direct the consumer to click a button or sign on an electronic screen. The consumer is told they're declining insurance, when they're actually accepting the charges d) Fold the receipt so that any extra or unauthorized charges aren't immediately visible When consumers complain at the counter, they're often rebuffed with "You signed the contract, there's nothing we can do." How can you prevent this from happening to you? Learn what your existing insurance (auto, credit card, travel) covers. Be very clear and vocal that you do not want any extra insurance. Be wary of items called "Loss Damage Waiver" and "RoadSafe". If directed to check a box or sign a contract, have the employee confirm what it is for. Review your contract/receipt at the counter and note any discrepancies beforehand.  Have you been overcharged for insurance by Dollar / Thrifty Rent a Car? You're not alone. Attorney John Mattes wants to hear from you. Please see InvestigativeGuy.com or email [email protected] to get in touch.  The information in this message is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing of this information does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.     ©Travelwatchdog.com - June (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); "> 2015. Images, video and articles from the site may be freely downloaded, but may only be reproduced in their full version and in the context in which they appear here

A message from the Editor

For more than 10 years we have offered free advice to the travelling public and, apart from a small annual payment from one of Britain's top firms of Solicitors and a few public donations, we have personally met all of the considerable costs of maintaining the site. If you wish to help, please use the Paypal button below. A Paypal account is not necessary. Yours sincerely, Bob Braban About the Editor: Bob enjoyed a long career in the Royal Air Force before spending 10 years as a public school Bursar and a further 5 years as head of Education Marketing International. Throughout this time he worked concurrently as a part-time freelance journalist, for a period with BBC local radio and regional daily newspapers. Legally educated and widely travelled, he started travelwatchdog.com in 2002 after successfully fighting misrepresentation by e-bookers and realising that in travel matters there is no independent source of advice assistance for those who feel they have been wronged. In recent years more focus has been placed on trip planning and pre-travel advice The Stunning Yosemite Falls. Part of the California Tour  

The Domes at Peterhof St Petersburg A highlight of any Baltic Cruise

  Before you travel to the Middle East on holiday – Understand the Risks Two years ago we issued a strong warning about travelling on holiday to the Middle East in general and Egypt and Sharm el Sheikh in particular. The area is particularly volatile since the Arab Spring and as well as a general risk from random attacks on individuals and groups, there has always been a serious problem with airport and aircraft security. The recent downing of the MetroJet flight serves as a timely reminder that airport and aircraft security is a lottery, particularly in the regions mentioned. Travellers are generally impressed by the visible security measures at all international airports and those are backed up, to varying degrees, by measures the public cannot see. Don’t for one minute believe that this overt and covert activity creates anything like total safety. It does not! For almost four months some 50 years ago, I was responsible for the security at an international civil airport just 765Km from Sharm el Sheikh. I quickly found that despite having a lot of real good security staff and limitless powers to control entry, search vehicles, search passengers and staff, search all packages and restrict entry from outside the perimeter, the security was nevertheless flawed for reasons beyond my control. Technology and a host of other advances in security have ensued, but so have advances in bomb-making and the basic problem has only been reduced, not solved. The number one problem is: How do you guarantee the security integrity of what arrives on your runway? Every international airport receives flights from near and far and your security is as good as the security at the worst airport in the chain of flights that has brought that aircraft and its passengers and cargo to your runway. Consider this : A light aircraft flown by a terrorist sympathiser takes off from a small airfield in an African state where security is very lax. A member of the crew is carrying a small parcel containing an explosive device. On their arrival at a larger feeder airfield he lands and is already inside the secure area. There maybe security measures in place, but at many airfields they will be poor. This is particularly the case at smaller airports where everyone is familiar with everyone else and unjustified trust is built up, thus reducing essential checks. By arrangement, the carrier passes the package to another sympathiser who places it, again by arrangement, under seat 38 on an airliner scheduled to fly to your airport. On arrival at your airport, say Sharm el Sheikh for example, an aircraft cleaner who is also a sympathiser, collects the package from seat 38. His cleaning duties take him to another aircraft where he arms the package and leaves it in a suitable place. Of course airport security officials try to take action to prevent such events, but they are a great deal more difficult to prevent than other incursions. More advanced international airports will have a far better grip on the problem than those in less well developed countries, but if you choose to holiday in places like Sharm el Sheikh you are taking a real risk. If you are a UK Senior Citizen looking for other than travel advice, you may find these links of interest : www.seniorsnetwork.co.uk www.pension100.co.uk Booking on-line Every week brings several stories of financial losses by travellers who have made mistakes whilst booking on-line. Getting travel companies to put these errors right is almost impossible with the best and quite impossible with the worst. They see it as money in the bank. if you are not confident go to a travel agent. If you are confident, take care. If you are over-confident, go to a travel agent! read this:   RESORT KEY WARNING! If you are approached by Resort Key be very cautious. See our complaint of the month for details   Fly.co.uk We have had a host of recent complaints about this company who take additonal charges from credit cards without the customer's authorisation. Although they are Fly.co.uk they operate out of Leipzig in Germany. They do not return calls and frequently send information etc. in German. Our advice is to avoid them like the plague. Airline Return Tickets - Warning! James who is currently in Australia e-mailed to say that he was stuck in Australia. To ensure that he could travel back to the UK on the same flight as his girl friend he purchased a return ticket intending to use only the return half. When he did not turn up for the outbound flight the airline voided to whole ticket so he lost his money. This highlights a problem that can affect quite a number of people and one that arises from general ignorance of airline practices. If you purchase a return airline ticket and do not make the outward journey, the airline will void the whole ticket. They assume the right to believe that if you did not go, you will not be coming back. They pocket your money and sell the ticket again.       On Advice: George Harris (1844-1922) US Educator I intended to give you some advice but now I remember how much is left over from last year unused! Oswald Theodore Avery (1877 -1955) Whenever you fall, pick up something. Edward VIII (1894-1972) Only two rules really count. Never miss an opportunity to relieve yourself; never miss the chance to sit down and rest your feet.      

Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Read our research on:

Full Topic List

Regions & Countries

• Publications
• Our Methods
• Short Reads
• Tools & Resources

Read Our Research On:

Americans who have traveled internationally stand out in their views and knowledge of foreign affairs

Do people who travel think differently about the world? A new Pew Research Center survey suggests they do.

Americans who have traveled internationally are more interested in and knowledgeable about foreign affairs, feel closer to others around the world, and favor a more active foreign policy, according to the survey of 3,576 U.S. adults conducted in spring 2023. We also surveyed people in 23 other countries about their international travel habits.

This analysis examines international travel with a focus on Americans’ travel, including which Americans travel abroad and how their interest in the world and views of international affairs differ from others.

For this analysis, we surveyed 3,576 U.S. adults from March 20 to March 26, 2023; 3,581 U.S. adults from March 21 to March 27, 2022; and 10,606 U.S. adults from June 14 to June 27, 2021. Everyone who took part in these surveys is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

For non-U.S. data, this report draws on nationally representative surveys of 27,285 adults conducted from Feb. 20 to May 22, 2023. All surveys were conducted over the phone with adults in Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Surveys were conducted face-to-face in Hungary, Poland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. In Australia, we used a mixed-mode probability-based online panel.

Here are the June 2021 survey questions and responses used in this analysis. Those for the March 2022 survey may be found here , as well as those for the March 2023 survey .

How many Americans have traveled internationally?

Roughly three-quarters of Americans (76%) have visited at least one other country, including 26% who have been to five or more. About a quarter (23%) have not traveled internationally, though most in this group say they would if they had the opportunity.

Related:  How experience with international travel varies across 24 countries

To analyze how Americans’ travel experiences relate to their attitudes on other questions, we placed people into three categories:

• Globe-trotters have traveled to at least five other countries. About a quarter of the U.S. public (26%) falls into this category.
• Casual travelers have traveled to between one and four other countries. Half of Americans fall into this category.
• Nontravelers have never left the United States. This category includes 23% of Americans.

Compared with Americans, people in many European nations are more likely to have traveled to five or more other countries. For instance, 88% of Swedes have done so.

However, international travel is much less common in many middle-income nations. It is strongly correlated with a nation’s gross domestic product per capita. (For more on international travel and views about global engagement, read “Attitudes on an Interconnected World.” )

Who travels internationally?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, older people are more likely than younger people to have traveled internationally. Americans ages 65 and older are more than twice as likely as adults under 30 to fall into our globe-trotter category (37% vs. 17%).

Income is even more strongly related to travel than age. Two-thirds of upper-income Americans have traveled to at least five countries, compared with 9% of Americans with lower incomes.

Similarly, Americans with a postgraduate degree are far more likely to be globe-trotters than those with a high school education or less (59% vs. 10%).

Residents of suburban and urban areas generally have more international travel experience than people who live in rural areas.

There are no significant partisan differences when it comes to international travel: 26% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents qualify as globe-trotters, as do 28% of Republicans and GOP leaners.

Do travelers know more about the world?

Globe-trotters are especially likely to say they are interested in foreign affairs and follow international news. Casual travelers, in turn, are more likely than nontravelers to do so.

Globe-trotters are also the most knowledgeable about international affairs. In 2022, we conducted an international affairs quiz , asking Americans 12 questions related to international news. On average, globe-trotters got 8.2 of the 12 questions correct, compared with 6.4 for casual travelers and 4.2 for nontravelers.

Is international travel related to views of global engagement?

International travel experience is also linked to Americans’ views about international affairs and their feelings of connection to other people around the world.

When asked which comes closest to their view, 57% of globe-trotters say the U.S. should be active in world affairs, while 43% say the U.S. should pay less attention to problems in other countries and concentrate on problems at home. In contrast, most casual travelers and nontravelers say the U.S. should focus on problems at home.

In all three groups, at least half of respondents say that when the U.S. is making foreign policy, it should take other countries’ interests into account – even if that means making compromises. But globe-trotters are especially likely to hold that view.

Globe-trotters are also particularly likely to say they feel close to people around the world, with 42% saying so. By comparison, 34% of casual travelers and 30% of nontravelers say this.

• International Affairs

Richard Wike is director of global attitudes research at Pew Research Center

Janell Fetterolf is a senior researcher focusing on global attitudes at Pew Research Center

Fewer Americans view the United Nations favorably than in 2023

What are americans’ top foreign policy priorities, rising numbers of americans say jews and muslims face a lot of discrimination, younger americans stand out in their views of the israel-hamas war, how u.s. muslims are experiencing the israel-hamas war, most popular.

1615 L St. NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036 USA (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax (+1) 202-419-4372 |  Media Inquiries

Research Topics

• Age & Generations
• Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Economy & Work
• Family & Relationships
• Gender & LGBTQ
• Immigration & Migration
• Internet & Technology
• Methodological Research
• News Habits & Media
• Non-U.S. Governments
• Other Topics
• Politics & Policy
• Race & Ethnicity
• Email Newsletters

ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER  Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of  The Pew Charitable Trusts .

Copyright 2024 Pew Research Center

Terms & Conditions

Privacy Policy

Cookie Settings

Reprints, Permissions & Use Policy

• Credit Cards
• All Credit Cards
• Find the Credit Card for You
• Best Credit Cards
• Best Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Travel Credit Cards
• Best 0% APR Credit Cards
• Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses
• Best Credit Cards to Build Credit
• Best Credit Cards for Online Shopping
• Find the Best Personal Loan for You
• Best Personal Loans
• Best Debt Consolidation Loans
• Best Loans to Refinance Credit Card Debt
• Best Loans with Fast Funding
• Best Small Personal Loans
• Best Large Personal Loans
• Best Personal Loans to Apply Online
• Best Student Loan Refinance
• Best Car Loans
• All Banking
• Find the Savings Account for You
• Best High Yield Savings Accounts
• Best Big Bank Savings Accounts
• Best Big Bank Checking Accounts
• Best No Fee Checking Accounts
• No Overdraft Fee Checking Accounts
• Best Checking Account Bonuses
• Best Money Market Accounts
• Best Credit Unions
• All Mortgages
• Best Mortgages
• Best Mortgages for Small Down Payment
• Best Mortgages for No Down Payment
• Best Mortgages for Average Credit Score
• Best Mortgages No Origination Fee
• Adjustable Rate Mortgages
• Affording a Mortgage
• All Insurance
• Best Life Insurance
• Best Life Insurance for Seniors
• Best Homeowners Insurance
• Best Renters Insurance
• Best Car Insurance
• Best Pet Insurance
• Best Boat Insurance
• Best Motorcycle Insurance
• Travel Insurance
• Event Ticket Insurance
• Small Business
• All Small Business
• Best Small Business Savings Accounts
• Best Small Business Checking Accounts
• Best Credit Cards for Small Business
• Best Small Business Loans
• Best Tax Software for Small Business
• Personal Finance
• All Personal Finance
• Best Budgeting Apps
• Best Expense Tracker Apps
• Best Money Transfer Apps
• Best Resale Apps and Sites
• Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Apps
• Best Debt Relief
• Credit Monitoring
• All Credit Monitoring
• Best Credit Monitoring Services
• Best Identity Theft Protection
• How to Boost Your Credit Score
• Best Credit Repair Companies
• Filing For Free
• Best Tax Software
• Best Tax Software for Small Businesses
• Tax Refunds
• Tax Brackets
• Taxes By State
• Tax Payment Plans
• Help for Low Credit Scores
• All Help for Low Credit Scores
• Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit
• Best Personal Loans for Bad Credit
• Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit
• Personal Loans if You Don't Have Credit
• Best Credit Cards for Building Credit
• Personal Loans for 580 Credit Score Lower
• Personal Loans for 670 Credit Score or Lower
• Best Mortgages for Bad Credit
• Best Hardship Loans
• All Investing
• Best IRA Accounts
• Best Roth IRA Accounts
• Best Investing Apps
• Best Free Stock Trading Platforms
• Best Robo-Advisors
• Index Funds
• Mutual Funds
• Home & Kitchen
• Gift Guides
• Deals & Sales
• Sign up for the CNBC Select Newsletter
• Subscribe to CNBC PRO
• Privacy Policy
• Your Privacy Choices
• Terms Of Service
• CNBC Sitemap

Follow Select

Our top picks of timely offers from our partners

AIG Travel Guard insurance review: What you need to know

Whether you need an annual plan or a policy for a last-minute trip, travel guard can deliver..

Travel Guard is one of CNBC Select 's picks for best travel insurance , thanks to its wide range of customizable policies. But are any of them right for you? Below, we review the provider and its offers and how they compare to the competition to help you choose the right travel insurance for your next trip.

Travel Guard review

Other insurance offered, how it compares, bottom line, travel guard® travel insurance.

The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote

Policy highlights

Travel Guard offers a variety of plans to suit travel ranging from road trips to long cruises. For air travelers, Travel Guard can help assist with tracking baggage or covering lost or delayed baggage.

24/7 assistance available

• A variety of plans are available to help cover different types of trips
• Not all products are available for purchase online

Travel Guard® is a global travel insurance provider specializing in plans for leisure and business travelers. Its online travel insurance packages include five options, from basic and last-minute trip coverage to more comprehensive plans. This allows travelers to pick a plan that best matches their situation.

For example, budget-minded travelers might go for the Essential Plan which offers basic protections, such as trip cancellation, interruption and delay insurance, coverage for lost, damaged and delayed baggage, and medical, evacuation and death coverage.

On the other hand, the Deluxe Plan — the most comprehensive option — adds such extras as missed connection coverage, security evacuation, travel inconvenience benefits and more. It also boosts high limits for essential coverages.

Last-minute travelers can opt for the Pack N' Go Plan which only includes certain post-departure coverages. Or, if you travel often, the Annual Plan can cover your trips throughout the year.

Finally, Travel Guard offers "offline" travel insurance packages, meaning you'll have to call if you're looking for a specialty plan.

Coverage types

Depending on the plan, here are the types of protection Travel Guard can include in your package:

• Trip cancellations
• Trip interruption
• Baggage coverage
• Baggage delay
• Travel medical expenses
• Travel inconvenience benefits (reimbursement for such situations as runway delays, cruise diversion and other unforeseen situations)
• Medical evacuation
• Trip Saver (reimbursement for meals, hotels and transportation if you need to begin your trip sooner due to weather or airline changes)
• Trip exchange (reimbursement in case you have to cancel your trip and book a new one due to covered unforeseen circumstances)
• Security evacuation (due to a riot or civil disorder)
• Flight guard (coverage for accidental death or dismemberment that occurs when traveling by plane)
• Pre-existing medical conditions exclusion waiver

You can also customize your plan with add-ons, such as car rental insurance and "cancel for any reason" coverage .

Travel Guard landed on our list of the best travel insurance companies thanks to its variety of coverage. With plenty of options to choose from, both online and offline, it's easy to build a policy that meets your needs.

Travel Guard also features 24-hour concierge services that you can use to book a new flight in case of an emergency or delay.

The provider's website also offers informational resources — here, you can check travel news, read safety tips and find general travel advice. Additionally, the website lets you modify your plan, file a claim and check its status, or apply for a voucher or refund.

As of writing, Travel Guard doesn't offer any discounts. That's common for travel insurance — you're more likely to find deals when shopping for other types of insurance, such as home and auto insurance .

Travel Guard is a portfolio of travel insurance and travel-related services offered by AIG Travel, a member of American International Group (AIG). AIG also offers life insurance and a variety of business insurance products.

Travel Guard makes it easy to get a travel insurance policy customized to your needs. But before you purchase coverage, it's always a good idea to shop around.

For example, if you're going on a cruise, you might want to look at Nationwide Travel Insurance . The provider advertises cruise-specific insurance with three plan options available. This type of coverage is designed with issues unique to cruises in mind — from ship-based breakdowns to missed pre-pard excursions.

If you're planning a more active trip filled with rock climbing or sky diving, Berkshire Hathaway offers the AdrenalineCare® plan which features coverage for unforeseen costs that result from participating in extreme sports on your trip, as well as reimbursement for sporting equipment delay. Pre-existing conditions are covered under this plan (if you meet qualifying conditions).

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has multiple plans to cover vacations from luxury travel to adventure travel. The brand's LuxuryCare offers the highest limits of travel insurance coverage offered by the company. Quotes and policies are available online.

As you can see, offerings vary by provider. It can be helpful to compare multiple companies and the plans they offer to find what works best for you. It's even better if you gather several quotes to ensure you're getting a good price for your policy.

Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox.  Sign up here .

Travel Guard offers plenty of ways to customize your policy, making it a solid choice for travel insurance. You can also access additional options by giving Travel Guard a call. However, make sure to check out other travel insurance companies too — comparison shopping is essential when picking any type of financial product.

Why trust CNBC Select?

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of insurance products . While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of  credit cards ,  banking  and  money , and follow us on  TikTok ,  Facebook ,  Instagram  and  Twitter  to stay up to date.

• 3 best Chase balance transfer credit cards of 2024 Jason Stauffer
• Here are the 8 best password managers Ryley Amond
• 5 things to avoid if you’re applying for a mortgage Kelsey Neubauer

F-35s to cost $2 trillion as Pentagon plans longer use, says watchdog

T he F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's total cost is expected to top $2 trillion over its entire life span given the U.S. military plans to fly it longer, inflation is rising, and the Pentagon's efforts to rein in expenses are largely falling short, a government watchdog said Monday.

That price tag represents an increase from the $1.7 trillion lifetime cost the Government Accountability Office previously reported in September 2023 . The revised estimate includes nearly $1.6 trillion in sustainment costs - a 44% increase from the $1.1 trillion sustainment price tag estimated in 2018 - and about $442 billion in acquisition costs, including development and procurement of the Lockheed Martin-made jet .

In the new report to lawmakers, GAO said the Defense Department now plans to fly the F-35 through 2088, 11 years longer than services most recently anticipated.

That longer projected life span is part of the reason the F-35′s total price tag will now top $2 trillion, GAO said - but it's not the only reason.

Rising inflation is a major factor driving up the cost of flying the F-35, GAO said. And while the F-35 program has made attempts to bring costs back down, the report noted those efforts have had only limited success.

In a statement to Defense News, the F-35 Joint Program Office pointed to steps it took to rein in costs for the fighter.

"We have continued to reduce sustainment costs through growth and maturation of the F-35 enterprise, including JPO product support manager efforts to drive down contract costs, better alignment of U.S. services' requirements and budgets, and an active cost reduction initiative pipeline," the F-35 Joint Program Office said.

Those cost-control measures have cut the annual cost per tail by about a third between 2014 and 2022, from $9.4 million to $6.2 million, the JPO said, and it cut the jet's cost per flying hour from $86,800 to $33,600, in 2012 dollars.

Most F-35s flown by U.S. services - including the Air Force's F-35A, the Marine Corps' F-35B and the Navy's F-35C - are coming in under their current annual cost estimates to operate and sustain the jets, GAO said.

The Air Force is now spending $6.6 million each year to operate and sustain the average F-35A. That's a shade under the $6.8 million the service now has budgeted to fly each jet annually - but well over the original goal of $4.1 million.

F-35Bs are also costing about $700 million less apiece to fly than expected, and operating and sustainment costs for Navy F-35Cs are $1.7 million less than the target.

The Marine Corps' F-35Cs, however, have annual costs of $8.6 million - $1.8 million more than anticipated.

The reason services are making progress toward meeting their affordability targets is partly because projected flying hours have been reduced, GAO said.

In 2020, the JPO expected the F-35 fleet would fly more than 382,000 hours per year by the mid-2030s. But that estimate has now dropped to a little more than 300,000 hours per year, GAO said, due to lower-than-expected use of the F-35 so far and revised estimates about how much it will be flown in the future.

The Pentagon took steps over the last decade to reduce the F-35′s costs, including working with contractors to find savings, restructuring the JPO to bring down fleet expenses and setting up an initiative called the "war on cost." That last effort includes taking steps to improve the reliability and maintainability of parts on the jet, reducing incidents of foreign object debris entering and damaging the engine, and improving engines' reliability and availability so they can stay in a jet longer.

But while those steps could save about $84 billion over the lifetime of the F-35 program, Pentagon officials told GAO "these efforts will not fundamentally change the [F-35′s] estimated lifetime sustainment costs."

Planned upgrades to the F-35 - particularly a program to modernize its Pratt & Whitney-made F135 engines to deliver more power and cooling ability - could help bring down the jets' costs, GAO said. But the F-35 program's decision to hold off on starting some of those upgrades led it to missed opportunities that could have reduced sustainment expenses.

Meanwhile, the F-35 is still far from meeting the program's goals for aircraft availability, GAO said. Mission-capable rates for F-35As fell to 52% in 2023, well below the minimum target of having 80% of jets available to carry out all its missions at any particular time.

"B" and "C" variants were at nearly 60% and 62%, respectively, also below their minimum mission-capable rate goal of 75%. No version of the F-35 met its performance goals over the past five years, GAO said.

But the program has either met or is close to meeting 17 of its 24 goals for having jets available for operations and not out of service for maintenance, GAO said.

The report noted the F-35 program is still facing several challenges that harm the jets' readiness, including a heavy reliance on contractors, inadequate training, a lack of spare parts and support equipment, and a lack of technical data that could help the military perform its own sustainment work on the jets.

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

TSA explosives detection canine retires from his job screening travelers at Reagan National Airport

ARLINGTON, Va. – Messi, an 8-year-old Yellow Labrador Retriever, has had his last run as a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) passenger screening canine at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

The dog is ready to trade in his working vest for afternoons lounging on the sofa.

Messi’s claim to fame is that last year he was featured in the free annual downloadable annual TSA canine calendar. He was featured as the dog of the month for February.

He was clearly born to work for TSA because he enjoys watching airplanes and playing in the grass at nearby Gravelly Point. Messi is a lovable and hard-working dog who has enjoyed playing with a tennis ball after a busy day sniffing for any traces of explosives at the airport. Now he doesn’t have to wait to play with his favorite toy.

After his last morning of sniffing for any traces of explosives at Reagan National Airport this morning, Messi was joined by several of the canine handlers and invited guests to celebrate his retirement at a surprise party. A training aid was concealed in a large room and Messi, along with his handler, Peter, searched the room. When Messi “hit” on the device, he was showered with tennis balls tossed his way by the other canine handlers. Messi was thrilled !

Peter then removed Messi’s “Do Not Pet” patch from his harness, thus officially signaling that the dog was no longer a working canine and could be petted. There was no shortage of guests who were eager to pet the newly retired dog.

Peter is adopting Messi in his retirement so the two will continue to stay together. As for Peter, he is shifting gears from being a canine handler to a canine trainer.

TSA trains each of its explosives detection canines at the TSA Canine Training Center, located at Joint Base San Antonio - Lackland in San Antonio, Texas. Considered the “Center for Excellence” for explosives detection canine training, the TSA National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program is the Department of Homeland Security’s largest explosives detection canine program.

About 300 canines complete the training annually. Each canine recruit spends 16 weeks in training where they meet their handlers, socialize to adapt to busy airport environments, and learn their craft of detecting a variety of explosive odors before reporting to their duty stations.

TSA has more than 1,000 canine handler teams deployed in support of security and screening operations nationwide. The explosives detection canine teams inspect passengers and all areas in and around terminals. They are so effective at their jobs that other public and private sector law enforcement agencies often request their support for similar security missions.

Each canine and their handler serves as a reliable resource for detecting explosives as well as providing a visible deterrent to terrorism directed towards various types of transportation nodes. Once on duty, these canines work to safeguard passengers and cargo across the nation’s transportation systems.

Middle East latest: IDF 'poised to take Rafah'; Israel to receive billions from massive US aid package

The Senate has passed a $95bn security package after months of delays - including around $26bn for Israel. A US envoy has said Israel must do everything possible to avoid famine in Gaza. Listen to a Daily podcast on how the conflict is worsening Yemen's humanitarian crisis as you scroll.

Wednesday 24 April 2024 15:14, UK

• Israel-Hamas war
• IDF 'poised to take Rafah'  
• US passes massive aid bill including billions in assistance for Israel
• Israel orders new evacuations in northern Gaza
• The big picture : What you need to know about the conflict in the Middle East right now
• Listen to the Sky News Daily above and  tap here  to follow wherever you get your podcasts
• Live updates by Dylan Donnelly

Yoav Gallant says US student protests against Israel's war on Hamas are "not only antisemitic, but also inciting terrorism".

The Israeli defence minister urged US authorities and university staff to "listen to their calls for Jihad" and to "defend Jewish youth".

More than 100 students have been arrested at Columbia University in New York after a week of protests (see post at 9.49).

Demonstrations have also broken out at universities including Yale, New York State and California State Polytechnic.

Activists say the demonstrations are against the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza, but some Jewish students have claimed the protests have shown support for Hamas and antisemitic remarks.

Hundreds marched in Tel Aviv last night to demand Israeli officials strike a deal to free hostages taken by Hamas.

Marking 200 days since the 7 October attacks, hostage families and protesters also urged Benjamin Netanyahu to resign as prime minister.

Hamas militants killed around 1,200 people and kidnapped 253 Israelis and foreigners during their attacks on the south of the country. 

According to Israel, around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 are still unaccounted for.

Israeli fighter jets and artillery have struck around 40 Hezbollah targets in a south Lebanon village, the IDF says.

Targets included storage facilities and weapons and other infrastructure.

The Israeli military and the Iran-backed, Lebanon-based group have traded almost daily fire across the border since the war broke out. 

Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said that half of Hezbollah’s commanders have been killed in IDF strikes since October, according to Haaretz.

He added that the "other half is hiding and abandoning southern Lebanon to IDF operations".

Israel will move ahead with its planned ground operation in Rafah, a government spokesperson has said, according to Reuters.

The IDF is poised to launch an offensive on the southern Gaza city immediately, a senior defence official told the news agency.

It has conducted all necessary preparations to take Rafah, which it deems the last Hamas bastion in Gaza, and can launch an operation the moment it gets government approval, the official said.

Israeli sources also told Reuters that 40,000 tents have been procured for Palestinian civilians - with capacity for 10 to 12 people - who they intend to evacuate during the assault on the city.

They added that Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet planned to meet in the next two weeks to authorise evacuations, which are expected to take around a month.

While not sharing details on the invasion, Brigadier-General Itzik Cohen, commander of the IDF's 162nd Division, told Kan public TV yesterday: "Hamas should know that when the IDF goes into Rafah, it would do best to raise its hands in surrender. 

"Rafah will not be the Rafah of today… There won't be munitions there. And there won't be hostages there."

The Palestinian foreign ministry in the West Bank has welcomed Jamaica's decision to formally recognise the State of Palestine.

The state is recognised by the United Nations and comprises the West Bank and Gaza.

Jamaica became the 142nd country to formally recognise the state yesterday amid concerns over Israel's war in Gaza.

The UK, US and other Western countries do not recognise Palestine as a state, taking the position that recognition is dependent on negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank.

In a statement, the ministry called for all countries that do not formally recognise Palestine as a state to do so as soon as possible "to end the suffering of the Palestinian people".

The Arab League's secretary-general has demanded all funding to the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees in Gaza (UNRWA) be restored.

Ahmed Aboul Gheit, head of the regional bloc, said all countries that suspended funding must urgently resume it, calling funding a "humanitarian necessity and a moral duty".

Israel had alleged in January that a dozen of UNRWA staff were involved in Hamas's 7 October attacks.

A report on Monday found Israel had not provided evidence to support its claim and had not raised concerns about anyone on the UNRWA staff lists it received every year since 2011.

The claims against the UN aid agency prompted a host of countries to pause support for the agency while a probe took place.

Germany said this morning that it would resume cooperation with the agency (see post at 9.20 for more details).

The director of the World Food Programme has said Gaza could be in famine within six weeks.

Gian Carlo Cirri said "we are getting closer by the day to a famine situation" in the besieged enclave at a launch of a report by the Global Network Against Food Crises.

"As for Gaza, the conflict makes it difficult and sometimes impossible to reach affected people," Mr Cirri said.

"We need to scale up massively our assistance… But under the current conditions, I’m afraid the situation will further deteriorate."

A UN-backed report said in March that famine was imminent, was likely to occur by May in northern Gaza and could spread across the territory by July.

Palestinians said they fled their homes after cities across Gaza were hit by shells and air strikes overnight.

Most of the strikes were focused on Beit Lahiya in the north of Gaza, where four neighbourhoods were ordered to evacuate by the IDF.

The IDF said it was targeting areas where the armed wing of Hamas-aligned Islamic Jihad launched rockets at two Israeli border settlements yesterday.

Residents also reported shelling in central Gaza around Al-Nuseirat and Khan Younis - where the IDF withdrew forces in March.

Mohammad Jamal, a 29-year-old resident of Gaza City, near Zeitoun, said: "We don't know why this is all happening."

He added: "It is as if the war started again. As if it is just happening, they burnt up the place."

At least 34,262 Palestinians have been killed during Israel's military offensive in Gaza since 7 October, the Hamas-run health ministry in the enclave has said.

A further 77,229 people have been injured in the campaign, it said.

The health ministry's figures do not distinguish between civilians and militants.

Israel's foreign minister has thanked the US Senate for approving a $95bn security aid package for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan.

Most of the fund will go to Ukraine, but around $26bn (£20bn) will provide wartime assistance for Israel and humanitarian relief for the citizens of Gaza (see post at 8.52 for more details).

Posting on X, minister Israel Katz thanked the Senate and said the package was "a clear testament to the strength of our alliance and sends a strong message to all our enemies".

Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill into law later today.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Refugee who left UK for holiday in 2008 stranded in east Africa for 16 years

Saleh Ahmed Handule Ali, now 33, had indefinite leave to remain in UK, but Home Office failed to keep a record

A refugee who left the UK on holiday as a teenager in 2008 has been stranded in east Africa for the last 16 years in a case that senior judges have described as “extraordinary”.

Saleh Ahmed Handule Ali, now 33, arrived in the UK at the age of nine in April 2000 with his mother and two younger siblings from Somalia. They came to join Ali’s father, who had been granted refugee status by the UK government. The family were also recognised as refugees by the Home Office and Ali was given a travel document in 2004 under the refugee convention, which was valid for 10 years.

In 2008 Ali was diagnosed with tuberculosis and in December of that year decided to travel to Djibouti for a short holiday in the hope that the warmer climate would aid his recovery.

At some point after arriving in Djibouti, he lost his refugee travel document and could not get back home to his family, who live in Bristol. As there is no British embassy in Djibouti, he managed to get to neighbouring Ethiopia , and when he finally reached Addis Ababa, he tried at least twice to get assistance from the embassy, without success.

It later emerged that the Home Office had failed to keep a record on its database of the fact that it had granted him indefinite leave to remain in the UK as a refugee. According to a ruling in the court of appeal last week, he has been “stranded in Ethiopia, undocumented, ever since”.

His mother, who suffers from several health conditions, saved up money for several years to engage a solicitor to try to bring her son back home.

In June 2015, a Home Office entry clearance officer refused Ali permission to return to the UK. The family appealed the first tier and in the upper tribunal of the immigration court, but their appeals were rejected.

Ali is undocumented in Ethiopia and is living a hand-to-mouth, destitute existence, unable to work. He survives on the money his mother sends him.

“I have been crying for 16 years over the loss of my son,” his mother, Shamis Dirya, told the Guardian. “We want the Home Office to bring him back to us. But they are not listening to us. When we speak on the phone, I cry and he cries. He has not had a phone for the last three months, so it has been difficult to speak to him. Sometimes we don’t even know whether he’s alive. He went to primary school here, he went to high school here. He only went to Djibouti for a short holiday.”

In the court of appeal, the lead judge, Lady Justice Andrews, said in the ruling by three judges: “This is by any standards and in many different respects a most extraordinary case.”

after newsletter promotion

The judgment, which granted Ali’s appeal against the refusal of his case and remitted it to the upper tribunal, was critical of the judge in the first-tier tribunal, Adam Rhys-Davies, and said that a clear error of law had been made when he rejected Ali’s case.

Referring to information coming to light in 2017 that the Home Office had no information on its system recording that Ali had been granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK, the judgment said: “Quite how this could have happened … is difficult to comprehend.”

Khalid Khashy of Pristine Law, who represents Ali, said: “Our client understandably has suffered immensely, including from mental health and destitution, whilst living in African countries of Djbouti and Ethiopia in the hope of returning to his home and family in the UK.

“Unfortunately, his ordeal is not over, as the matter is sent back to the upper tribunal for a fresh decision, which could take months. To avoid costs and delays, it is hoped that the Home Office will concede and grant him entry clearance with a sincere apology.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “It is a matter of longstanding government policy that we do not routinely comment on individual cases.”

• Immigration and asylum
• Home Office

More on this story

Don’t rescue people who scupper their Channel boats, says Reform UK deputy

Humanitarian groups demand safe routes to UK after five deaths in Channel

First deportation flight to Rwanda will not leave till summer, admits Sunak

UK small boats policymakers referred to ‘bloody migrants’, says civil servant

Rwanda bill further delayed after Lords again votes for changes

Rwanda bill delayed for at least a day after Lords pass amendments

Number of asylum seekers left homeless after Home Office eviction soars

Sunak welcomes Kagame to No 10 as Rwanda scheme hits fresh snags

Most viewed.