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New Travel Advisories for U.S. Travelers

Office of the Spokesperson

January 10, 2018

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Fact Sheet Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC January 10, 2018

On January 10, 2018, the Department of State launched improvements to how we share information with U.S. travelers. These improvements will provide U.S. citizens with clear, timely, and reliable safety and security information worldwide. Under the new system, every country will have a Travel Advisory, providing levels of advice ranging from 1 to 4:

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

The Travel Advisories for each country replace previous Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts. While we will issue an overall Travel Advisory level for every country, levels of advice may vary for specific locations or areas within a country. For instance, we may advise U.S. citizens to “Exercise Increased Caution” (Level 2) in a country, but to “Reconsider Travel” (Level 3) to a particular area within the country.

Our detailed Travel Advisories will also will provide clear reasons for the level assigned, using established risk indicators, and offer specific advice to U.S. citizens who choose to travel there:

  • C – Crime:  Widespread violent or organized crime is present in areas of the country. Local law enforcement may have limited ability to respond to serious crimes.
  • T – Terrorism:  Terrorist attacks have occurred and/or specific threats against civilians, groups, or other targets may exist.
  • U – Civil Unrest:  Political, economic, religious, and/or ethnic instability exists and may cause violence, major disruptions, and/or safety risks.
  • H – Health:  Health risks, including current disease outbreaks or a crisis that disrupts a country’s medical infrastructure, are present. The issuance of a Centers for Disease Control Travel Notice may be a factor.
  • N – Natural Disaster:  A natural disaster, or its aftermath, poses danger.
  • E – Time-limited Event:  A short-term event, such as an election, sporting event, or other incident that may pose a safety risk.
  • O – Other:  There are potential risks not covered by previous risk indicators. Read the country’s Travel Advisory for details.

We will review and update each Travel Advisory as needed, based on changes to security and safety information. Additionally, U.S. embassies and consulates will now issue Alerts to replace the current Emergency Messages and Security Messages. Alerts will inform U.S. citizens of specific safety and security concerns in a country, such as demonstrations, crime trends, and weather events.

The Department’s newly-redesigned hub for traveler information,  travel.state.gov , will host all Travel Advisories, recent Alerts issued for each country, and an interactive map in mobile-friendly formats. Country pages on the site will continue to include all travel information currently available, including details about entry/exit requirements, local laws and customs, health conditions, transportation, and other relevant topics.

To receive security and other important updates while traveling, U.S. citizens can enroll their travel plans in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program ( step.state.gov ), and follow us on Twitter ( @travelgov   ) and Facebook ( facebook.com/travelgov   ).

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Everything you need to know about State Department travel advisories

Caroline Tanner

When traveling abroad, the top concern for many Americans is safety.

Whether it is due to ongoing conflict, special events such as the 2024 Paris Olympics , natural disasters like a volcano currently erupting in Iceland or an uptick in crime , conditions of countries can change rapidly, affecting both travelers and locals.

To help keep American travelers safe, the U.S. Department of State issues and maintains travel advisories for U.S. citizens based on current circumstances.

These advisories can be particularly helpful for first-time and younger travelers, though the agency encourages all people to review them for their desired destination ahead of travel.

What are travel advisories based on?

Although travel warnings originate from the State Department and live on its website , they are a joint effort between the State Department's Office of Overseas Citizens Services and U.S. consulates and embassies worldwide.

"We've got our diplomats and consular officers on the ground in all those places, who have more up-to-date information than anyone in Washington could have," said Angela Kerwin, deputy assistant secretary for Overseas Citizens Services, during a Zoom interview Thursday. "But we use a variety of information in order to look at the criteria that go into our travel advisories around the world."

In addition to crime reports, nongovernmental organization reports and those from international organizations such as the United Nations, the government considers nine risk factors in determining the level at which each country's advisory should be set:

  • C — Crime : Widespread violence or organized crime is present in areas of the country. Local law enforcement may have limited ability to respond to serious crimes.
  • T — Terrorism : Terrorist attacks have occurred and/or specific threats against civilians, groups or other targets may exist.
  • U — Civil Unrest : Political, economic, religious and/or ethnic instability exists and may cause violence, major disruptions and/or safety risks.
  • H — Health : Health risks, including current disease outbreaks or a crisis that disrupts a country's medical infrastructure. The issuance of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Travel Health Notice may also be a factor.
  • N — Natural Disaster : A natural disaster, or its aftermath, poses danger.
  • E — Time-limited Event : Short-term events, such as elections, sporting events or other incidents that may pose safety risks.
  • K — Kidnapping or Hostage Taking : Criminal or terrorist individuals or groups have threatened to and/or have seized or detained and threatened to kill, injure or continue to detain individuals in order to compel a third party (including a governmental organization) to do or abstain from doing something as a condition of release.
  • D — Wrongful Detention : The risk of wrongful detention of U.S. nationals exists.
  • O — Other : Potential risks are not covered by previous risk indicators. Read the country's travel advisory for details.

Although the most recently added category, Wrongful Detention, only applies to a handful of countries, it's an important criterion for travelers to note when a country has detained a U.S. citizen without cause.

Level 1 to 4 tiered warning system

state department travel information

Based on that nine-rubric system, plus reports and input from U.S. consulates and embassies in these countries, the agency assigns each country a Level 1 to 4 tiered warning , with 1 being the lowest level, indicating relative safety, and 4 being the highest, meaning travelers should not visit.

Level 1: Exercise normal precautions

This is the lowest level a country can achieve, making it among the safest for Americans to visit. As with any travel, there is always some risk, so every country will always have at least a Level 1 advisory.

Level 2: Exercise increased caution

Under a Level 2 designation, a country has increased safety or security risks, but they likely won't preclude you from traveling there.

Level 3: Reconsider travel

A Level 3 advisory tells travelers to potentially defer trips to the country in question, as serious potential risks exist.

Level 4: Do not travel

The most serious advisories are Level 4 recommendations, which alert you to avoid travel to designated countries and areas due to a greater threat of potentially life-threatening risks and limited resources to help Americans.

What else to know about travel advisories

In addition to the State Department's general travel advisory, a country's information page will also provide any timely alerts from the corresponding U.S. embassy and/or consulate to consider.

There are also certain countries where the agency can provide "carve-outs" to communicate information related to specific areas or regions within a particular country.

"Perhaps the country itself is a Level 3 country, but there is one particular border area that has ongoing kinetic activity of some sort, and we'd say that would be a Level 4," Kerwin explained.

These carve-outs are most often found in Mexico , as the U.S. shares a border with the country and more Americans travel to Mexico for tourism than elsewhere.

"Mexico is a special case. We also have more U.S. consulates than we do in any other country in the world, and for that reason, we are able to provide state-by-state travel advisory levels in Mexico," Kerwin said. "[With] other countries around the world, [we] just simply don't have the ability to have that level of detail; the specificity is greater for Mexico."

state department travel information

Because data is the main source of information for crafting these advisories, not all alerts can be created equally.

"It is impossible to say that we can apply all nine criteria exactly the same in country A as we do in country B. You're going to have more statistical data of a reliable type for ... Germany than you would Chad," Kerwin explained. "So to compare the exact same report for Germany with the exact same report for Chad is not something that makes sense because it's generally not going to be available."

In those cases, the government relies on its embassies and consulates, which are present in most of these countries, to help inform its alerts.

"We've got people on the ground who are often best positioned to help us evaluate the number of kidnappings, the level of civil unrest, how many terrorist attacks reported or not reported," she said.

Note that a lack of readily available or accurate data doesn't make the country inherently riskier or more dangerous for travelers.

"It just means that we don't have the exact type of data that we would have in another country," Kerwin said. "We would have to rely more heavily on embassy reporting and our folks there, but it does not necessarily mean it is a more dangerous country."

Does a Level 4 alert mean I should avoid traveling there?

In short, the answer is yes.

At the time of publication, there were 19 countries with Level 4 alerts, per the State Department.

"These are the places we deem as the most dangerous for U.S. citizens to travel to, and we would really like U.S. citizens to look at other destinations," Kerwin said. In part, that's because of the limited consular or embassy services available in these places should an American need help.

"Every U.S. citizen gets to make up their own mind on where they want to travel. That's all we can do as a government," she continued. "If a U.S. citizen finds themselves in a situation where they need to travel to one of these countries for whatever reason, we would ask that they look at our travel advisories in advance, read our country information sheet. We would certainly recommend if we have a functioning embassy, that they save that information on their phone so they can contact the embassy if necessary."

But overall, travelers should avoid traveling to Level 4 countries if possible.

"Each of these Level 4 countries will tell you what our concerns are with these countries and [that] our criteria has been met," Kerwin said. "We believe it is quite dangerous to go there."

How often are State Department travel advisories updated?

state department travel information

When viewing a travel advisory, you'll note at the top the date it was last updated, as alerts are updated on a rolling basis.

Generally speaking, Level 4 and Level 3 alerts are updated at least once every six months, while Level 1 and Level 2 alerts are examined at least once per year, pending evolving circumstances.

"If something changes or some precipitating event, we would do it earlier as needed," Kerwin said.

For example, on Thursday, the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavik issued its own alert regarding a volcanic eruption in southwest Iceland that morning. When embassy alerts are issued for isolated events in a particular region of a country, it does not necessarily reflect the overall level of the country as a whole.

Despite the volcano warning, Iceland remained at Level 1 , as it has since July. If it had been a more widespread eruption affecting general European air travel, that would have prompted the agency to update the travel advisory as a whole.

"Right now, by sending out that security alert, we're saying stay away from the volcano, but if you wanna go have dinner in Reykjavik, follow our regular information we have on our travel advisory," Kerwin said.

That volcano alert also went out via the agency's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program , which sends relevant security updates from the nearest U.S. Consulate, and which Kerwin advised travelers to enroll in as another way to stay safe abroad.

"So anybody who is registered in STEP traveling to or who is living in Iceland would've gotten an email to say, 'Hey, be aware the volcano erupted again today, we're watching it closely; pay attention,'" she explained. "We have those various security alerts that we can send out at any time in a country based on late-breaking events."

Special events, such as the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, will also trigger additional and/or more frequent alerts.

"We will be paying special attention to that. We expect there will be a large number of U.S. citizens that are headed in that direction to cheer on our team, and we want to make sure that we are giving them the best information we can about their time when they're traveling," Kerwin said.

Other things to consider when traveling abroad

As with travel in general, the State Department advises Americans heading overseas to prepare in advance.

"We have a slogan we've been using, and I like it; it's called 'travel smart from the start,' and that starts even before you decide what destination," Kerwin said. That slogan applies to details like checking that you have enough validity on your passport (most countries require six months at the time of entry) and buying travel insurance.

Kerwin also advises procuring the contact information for the nearest U.S. government presence (i.e., the embassy or consulate) via the State Department's list of U.S. embassies and consulates .

"Jot down on paper, take a picture on your phone and save the U.S. Embassy/Consulate phone number or email address so you can get in contact with us if there's a problem," she said. "And always be aware of your surroundings ... a heightened level of awareness ... is important for travelers no matter where they're going."

Bottom line

state department travel information

With travel comes an inherent risk, and the government aims to help travelers remain safe domestically and abroad.

While the decision to travel is ultimately up to the traveler, these travel advisories should be taken seriously.

"Our goal is to always provide the best advice and information we can for U.S. citizens so they can make their decisions as to where they wish they travel," Kerwin said.

Therefore, heed these travel warnings from the State Department via U.S. embassies, consulates and the department's STEP program.

"The final thing — and this is an important one — is to have fun," Kerwin added. "Travel is fantastic — you get to see new cultures, and you get to experience new languages and beautiful countries and beautiful cities. We want U.S. citizens to travel and have fun on their adventures around the world."

Related reading:

  • Cancun travel advisory: State Department issues warning to US travelers heading to Mexico
  • The difference between CDC and State Department travel warnings
  • US issues worldwide travel advisory — here's what you should know
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Check the estimated wait time for a nonimmigrant visa interview appointment at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Note: Please check the individual Embassy or Consulate website to determine if your case is eligible for a waiver of the in-person interview.

Applicants scheduling visa appointments in a location different from their place of residence should check post websites for nonresident wait times.

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The estimated wait time to receive a nonimmigrant visa interview appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate and is based on workload and staffing and can vary from week to week. The information provided is an estimate and does not guarantee the availability of an appointment.

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Wait times for applicants eligible for Interview Waiver are applicable only for locations where applicants schedule appointments to submit their passport and any required documents to a U.S. embassy or consulate. The wait time estimate does not account for the time required for a consular officer to adjudicate the application nor mailing time of passports or other documents. Refer to the website of the Embassy or Consulate Visa Section where you will apply to determine your eligibility for Interview Waiver and for instructions for submitting a nonimmigrant visa application. Note that applicants must be a national or resident of the country where they are applying to be eligible to apply via Interview Waiver.

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Consular sections overseas may be able to expedite your interview date if there is an urgent, unforeseen situation such as a funeral, medical emergency, or school start date. The process to request an expedited nonimmigrant visa interview varies by location. You should refer to the instructions on the website of the Embassy or Consulate Visa Section  where you will interview, or on their online appointment scheduling site. You will need to provide proof of the need for an earlier appointment.

In all cases : You must first submit the online visa application form (DS-160), pay the application fee, and schedule the first available interview appointment. Only at this point will a consular section consider your request for an expedited appointment.

Note: Travel for the purpose of attending weddings and graduation ceremonies, assisting pregnant relatives, participating in an annual business/academic/professional conference, or enjoying last-minute tourism does not qualify for expedited appointments. For such travel, please schedule a regular visa appointment well in advance.

These estimates do not include time required for administrative processing, which may affect some applications. When administrative processing is required, the timing will vary based on individual circumstances of each case.

There are only two possible outcomes for U.S. visa applications. The consular officer will either issue or refuse the visa. If a visa applicant has not established that he or she is eligible for a visa, the consular officer must refuse that application. However, some refused visa applications may require further administrative processing. When administrative processing is required, the consular officer will inform the applicant at the end of the interview. The duration of the administrative processing will vary based on the individual circumstances of each case. At the conclusion of the administrative processing period, the consular officer might conclude that an applicant is now qualified for the visa for which he or she applied. The officer may also conclude that the applicant remains ineligible for a visa. Visa applicants are reminded to apply early for their visas, well in advance of the anticipated travel date.

Important Notice:   Except in cases of emergency travel (i.e. serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family), before making inquiries about status of administrative processing, applicants should wait at least 180 days from the date of interview or submission of supplemental documents, whichever is later.

About Visa Processing Wait Times – Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants

Information about nonimmigrant visa wait times for interviews and visa processing time frames are shown on this website, as well as on U.S. Embassy and Consulate websites worldwide. It should be noted that the “Wait Times for a Nonimmigrant Visa to be Processed” information by country does not include time required for administrative processing. Processing wait time also does not include the time required to return the passport to applicants, by either courier services or the local mail system.

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An immigrant visa is a document issued by a U.S. consular officer abroad that allows you to travel to the United States and apply for admission as a legal permanent resident (LPR). An immigration inspector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection of the Department of Homeland Security makes the final decision as to whether or not to admit you as an LPR. Once you are admitted as an LPR, you generally have the right to live and work in the United States permanently. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of the Department of Homeland Security will mail your permanent resident card (often called a “green card”) to your new address in the United States, usually within three months of your entry into the United States. Please see 9 FAM 502.1-3 for a list of classification symbols and a brief description of each.

Getting an immigrant visa usually means that you will be able to live and work in the United States for as long as you want. A nonimmigrant visa, on the other hand, is generally for short-term visitors to the United States. You cannot stay in the United States permanently on a nonimmigrant visa, and you generally cannot work. A nonimmigrant visa is sometimes informally called a “tourist visa” but can be issued for reasons other than tourism, such as medical treatment, business or study. Please see our nonimmigrant visa page for more information.

There are three basic methods for obtaining an immigrant visa: 1.through a family relationship with a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident 2.through employment 3.through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (the visa lottery) Most applicants in Mexico obtain their immigrant visas via family relationships. The first step in obtaining a family-based immigrant visa is for your relative (the petitioner) to file a Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) by mail with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland Security. Once your relative has filed a petition for you, you may check its status by accessing the USCIS Case Status Search Page. You may obtain an immigrant visa through employment rather than through a family member. More information on obtaining an immigrant visa through employment rather than through a family member is available on USCIS’s Green Card through a Job page. Please see the Fiscal Year 2016 Diversity Visa Entry Instructions. Note that the registration period for 2015 has closed. You may check this page for the Fiscal Year 2016 Diversity Visa Entry instructions in approximately September 2014.

Once U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland Security approves an immigrant visa petition, USCIS sends the approved petition to the Department of State’s National Visa Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

The Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC) retains the approved petition until the case is ready for adjudication by a consular officer abroad. Petitions may remain at NVC for several months or for many years depending on the visa category and country of birth of the visa applicant. When a beneficiary’s (the beneficiary is the person on whose behalf the petition was filed) priority date appears about to become current, NVC sends the petitioner a bill for processing Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act) and sends the beneficiary a Form DS-261 (Choice of Address and Agent). Once the Form I-864 processing fee is paid, NVC sends the Form I-864 and related instructions to the petitioner. Once NVC receives the completed Form DS-261 from the applicant, NVC mails a bill for the immigrant visa fee to the agent designated on the Form DS-261. Once the immigrant visa fee is paid, NVC sends the Instruction Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants to the agent. You or your agent must follow the directions in the Instruction Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants exactly. Failure to do so could result in a delay in your case and could even cause you to lose your chance to live and work in the United States. Once NVC completes its administrative processing of your case, the case file is sent to the Immigrant Visa Unit of the U.S. Consulate General, Ciudad Juarez. NVC will notify you by mail when this occurs.

The priority date, in the case of a family-based immigrant visa petition, is the date your petition was filed (not the date it was approved). Family-based immigrant visas are divided into two broad groups, immediate relative cases and preference cases. An immediate relative family-based petition is filed by a U.S. citizen on behalf of a spouse, parent, or child. A preference family-based petition is filed by a U.S. citizen on behalf of a son, daughter, or sibling; or by a legal permanent resident on behalf of a spouse, son or daughter, or child. Because the law does not limit the number of immediate relative visas, the priority date is normally irrelevant in such cases (please see the 9 FAM 502.1-1(d)(1) for the notable exception, related to the Child Status Protection Act). Workload permitting, the Immigrant Visa Unit may begin processing the approved petition upon receipt from the Department of State’s National Visa Center or the Department of Homeland Security. The priority date in a preference case, however, matters greatly. The law limits the number of preference visas available. All categories of family-based preference visas are currently “oversubscribed” (i.e., there are more people who want visas than there are visa numbers available). Your priority date, along with your visa category and nationality, determines whether a visa number is available or whether you must wait. Once your priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed in the most recent Visa Bulle

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Privately owned vehicle (POV) mileage reimbursement rates

GSA has adjusted all POV mileage reimbursement rates effective January 1, 2024.

Airplane nautical miles (NMs) should be converted into statute miles (SMs) or regular miles when submitting a voucher using the formula (1 NM equals 1.15077945 SMs).

For calculating the mileage difference between airports, please visit the U.S. Department of Transportation's Inter-Airport Distance website.

QUESTIONS: For all travel policy questions, email [email protected]

The shortcut to this page is gsa.gov/mileage.

Have travel policy questions? Use our ' Have a Question? ' site

PER DIEM LOOK-UP

1 choose a location.

Error, The Per Diem API is not responding. Please try again later.

No results could be found for the location you've entered.

Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Territories and Possessions are set by the Department of Defense .

Rates for foreign countries are set by the State Department .

2 Choose a date

Rates are available between 10/1/2021 and 09/30/2024.

The End Date of your trip can not occur before the Start Date.

Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations, unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where lodging is obtained.

Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within those boundaries."

Per diem localities with county definitions shall include "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties, including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties (unless otherwise listed separately)."

When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties, even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.

The Manual

Do you need a passport to travel in the U.S. in 2024?

T ravel is tricky enough, but to add to the already confusing world of air travel, the U.S. government has been teasing us with updated identification requirements for what seems like forever. After years of changed dates, extended deadlines, and general defiance at the state level, there’s still a lot of confusion around the REAL ID Act, particularly when it comes to modern air travel . So, do you need a passport to travel within the U.S. once this goes into effect?

Direct answer:  You will not need a passport to travel within the US in 2024 or 2025, when the REAL ID Act goes into effect, though you can use one. Most people will use a REAL ID compliant driver’s license. These are already being issued and can be identified by the star in the upper right hand corner of the ID.

Read on to see more about what this means and how do you prepare if your ID isn’t already compliant? We’ll clear a few things up regarding this issue and explain the use of your passport when traveling domestically.

The REAL ID Act basics

For starters, the REAL ID Act was slated to become law back on Oct. 1, 2020. However, the unprecedented circumstances of the last few years — traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic in particular — pushed the execution date. Now that date has been changed yet again . According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), all U.S. travelers must meet the REAL ID requirements to board domestic flights by May 7, 2025 (it was last slated for May 3, 2024, with October 1, 2021, and then to May 3, 2024, as the dates before then). While you may not need a passport to travel, you will need a REAL ID.

Every state will require a REAL ID

If you thought maybe your state wouldn’t comply with the act, we’re sorry to say that every territory and state will require a REAL ID. Some states have already started issuing them, so you may have one.

The REAL ID won’t get you everywhere

For trips to Mexico (by land) and Canada, and other international travel , you will still need a passport to enter. The REAL ID isn’t a substitute for your passport.

The REAL ID isn’t a passport

When you get your new ID, it doesn’t replace a passport. This can’t be used to fly outside of the U.S., but it could be used as a second form of ID. It’s also not a visa, it’s just your ID taken up a notch.

Do I need a passport to fly domestically?

According to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA), all adult passengers (18 and above) must show valid identification at the airport to travel. The identification must show your picture, name, and state of residence. It doesn’t necessarily need to be your passport, which means you can fly domestically in the U.S. in 2024 without a valid passport for travel.

If you don’t have a passport, there are other acceptable forms of identification, including:

  • U.S. passport card
  • State-issued driver’s license
  • DHS trusted traveler card
  • State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License
  • U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
  • Border crossing card
  • Permanent resident card
  • U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) ID
  • Tribal-issued photo ID

Believe it or not, even if you don’t have any form of ID because, say, you forgot it at home, it’s lost, or you’re a “sovereign citizen,” you’re still able to fly within the U.S. You’ll need to complete an identity verification process as required by the TSA.

Don’t plan on breezing through airport security , though, because you’ll be subject to additional (i.e., lengthier, more intensive) screening. Children under the age of 18 are not expected to provide identification when traveling domestically.

What kind of ID do you need to travel domestically within the U.S.?

For domestic US travel in 2024 , an in-date driver’s license or other DMV-issued photo identity card with work. For other methods of identification, check the TSA’s acceptable identification guidelines .

Starting on May 7, 2025 , you will need a new REAL ID if you plan to use an ID to board. Fortunately, you are likely to already have one. As, according to the DHS, “All 50 states are now in full compliance issuing these cards, with most states becoming compliant in the last four years.” Again, a REAL ID has a star in the upper right hand corner. If you happened to renew your last ID before your state was compliant, you’re now able to receive a REAL ID-compliant version at your next visit. In the absence of a REAL ID, you will be able to use a valid passport, a U.S. military ID, or a federal government PIV card for domestic travel.

Without a passport, REAL ID-compliant card, or any other accepted forms of identification, you won’t be allowed through TSA checkpoints, meaning you won’t be able to fly within the U.S.

Do you need a REAL ID to fly in the U.S.?

  • If the new date sticks, when it gets here, then yes, you will.
  • You’ll also need it if you want to enter federal facilities.

Beginning May 7, 2025, if they don’t have a passport, all U.S. travelers will need a REAL ID to fly for domestic travel. The ID will be required to access any federal facility, so, for example, you won’t be able to visit some national monuments, federal buildings, or loved ones at military installations without one.

This law will apply to all 50 states and territories, including Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Without the ID, you could still use your passport to fly locally. But that could still be a potential challenge for the almost 60% of U.S. citizens who don’t have a passport.

You get your REAL ID through your local Department of Motor Vehicles office, AAA, or regional state offices. It’s possible to complete the necessary documentation online before visiting the office, too, so be sure to check the minimum requirements before applying.

What do you need to travel within the U.S.?

When traveling as a resident, you’ll need a valid passport, driver’s license, state ID, or military ID. Before traveling, be sure to check your identification to ensure it is valid and current. Also, take time to learn about the laws of the state you’re flying to — that helps avoid delays and frustrations.

U.S. citizens can also use state-issued enhanced driver’s licenses (EDLs) to fly locally. Know that EDLs are only available in select states, including New York, Washington, Minnesota, Vermont, and Michigan. They’re typically given to residents in states close to U.S. borders to comply with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative .

If you’re a foreign national traveling within the U.S., you’ll need your passport, so be sure to keep your passport safe while traveling. Flying within the U.S. without a passport as a foreign national could be quite stressful.

On the other hand, green-carded residents must have their regular photo ID and green card to fly within the U.S. The card also functions as a driver’s license or other ID, and you’re not required to have a passport for domestic travel.

Where can I fly without a passport?

  • The sky is the limit — within the U.S.

As of 2024, there are no states that require passports from U.S. citizens to fly domestically. Your airline or the TSA should never ask you to present a valid passport. Of course, you could carry it with you for additional photo identification in case you lose your other forms of ID.

Bottom line: You can fly to all 50 states and surrounding territories without a passport. Just make sure to carry either your driver’s license or a state-issued ID. To avoid frustrations in the future, ensure your driver’s license and other ID are REAL-ID compliant before May 2025. You’ll need a passport to travel internationally , so it’s vital not to leave it at home if your travel plans are likely to include leaving the U.S.

If you have a trip planned for the next few years, it will be business as usual, where you won’t have to worry about having a passport or REAL ID, anyway. But after that, you will need a REAL ID, and if you don’t have one, you’ll need a valid passport. Either get ready to get your passport — which is good for 10 years — or your REAL ID before 2025, not forgetting about how long it could take to get that passport. Things will probably be a bit rough, and we’ll have some growing pains while everyone adjusts to the new REAL ID rules, so it might be better if you have a passport to be safe.

The post Do you need a passport to travel in the U.S. in 2024? appeared first on The Manual .

Do you need a passport to travel in the U.S. in 2024?

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state department travel information

Travel Smart from the Start

Office of the Spokesperson

March 31, 2023

The U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens traveling and living overseas.  As more U.S. citizens travel abroad – for family visits, vacation, or any occasion – we remind you to travel smart from the start by doing the following:

  • Check your passport’s expiration date before booking travel and apply early. Many countries require at least six months of validity in order to enter.
  • Research your destination  to better understand the security environment and current travel guidance, exit and entry requirements such as visas or proof of immunizations, and what items you can and can’t bring with you into the country according to local laws.
  • Enroll in our Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive important safety and security messages directly from the local U.S. embassy or consulate and to help us contact you in the event of an emergency.
  • Save the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate’s address and contact information before you go and keep it handy. Even well-prepared travelers may face an emergency, like a lost or stolen passport or an injury.  Our embassies and consulates are available to help 24/7.

A prepared traveler is a happy traveler.  Follow TravelGov on  Facebook   ,  Twitter   , and  Instagram    for more smart travel tips from the Department of State as part of our Travel Smart from the Start campaign.

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Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

News releases

Feb. 28, 2024

Latest news releases

MnDOT reduces load limit on Hwy 87 in Hubbard County

BEMIDJI, Minn. –The Minnesota Department of Transportation has reduced the load limit at the following locations to seven tons beginning Thursday, February 29 until further notice.

  • Hwy 87 from east junction of Hubbard CR 6 to Hwy 64
  • Hwy 87 from Hwy 71 to west junction of Hubbard CR 6

The load limit reduction is due to a weak base and poor pavement condition. Seasonal load limit zones and restricted routes can be found on the MnDOT load limits map . Start and end dates and other load limit information are shown at mndot.gov/loadlimits . MnDOT will report seasonal load limit start and end dates on its 24-hour automated message center at 1-800-723-6543 for the U.S. and Canada, and locally at 651-366-5400 for the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

For questions about legal axle weight during SLR; Gross Vehicle Weight Schedule, call: Minnesota Department of Public Safety State Patrol – Commercial Vehicle Enforcement 651-350-2000

For questions about oversize/overweight loads/permitting call: Minnesota Department of Transportation Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations – Oversize/Overweight Permits 651-296-6000 Or email:  [email protected]

For the most current information, go to MnDOT’s automated 24-hour message center at 800-723-6543 for the U.S. and Canada, or 651-366-5400 for the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. This information is also published on the MnDOT seasonal load limits website at mndot.gov/loadlimits .

IMAGES

  1. Understanding the State Department’s updated travel advisories

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  2. Be Informed Before Takeoff: Travel Advisories Define Country-Specific

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  3. US State Dept. Unveils Revamped Travel Website

    state department travel information

  4. US Department State Travel Advisory

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  5. U.S. State Department Unveils Smarter, Better Designed Travel Site

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  6. State Department Travel Warnings And How To Use Them

    state department travel information

VIDEO

  1. Travel Advisories and Alerts for U.S. Citizens

  2. State Department Is Changing How It Does Travel Advisories

  3. State Dept Travel Alert

  4. State Dept. issues travel advisory to Americans abroad

  5. Travel expert discusses US State Department travel warning to Lebanon

  6. Why you should pay attention to travel advisories

COMMENTS

  1. Travel

    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 ...

  2. Travelers

    Find travel resources and information for U.S. citizens traveling abroad, including passport processing, visa policy and procedure, emergency services, travel advisories, and trusted traveler programs. Learn how to prepare for a trip abroad, apply for a passport, renew your passport, and contact the nearest embassy or consulate for assistance.

  3. Learn About Your Destination

    Information by Travel Type. Traveler's Checklist. What the Department of State Can and Can't Do in a Crisis. Your Health Abroad. Driving and Road Safety Abroad. Lodging Safety. Last Updated: June 16, 2023. Sign Up For The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) How to prepare for a crisis Abroad.

  4. Travel Advisory Updates

    The State Department regularly assesses and updates its Travel Advisories based on the CDC Travel Health Notices and other factors. See the latest updates on COVID-19, flight availability, entry restrictions, and test results for various destinations.

  5. Americans Traveling Abroad

    This section provides information and a link to background and requirements for Americans traveling abroad. Click on the link below to access our alphabetical listing of countries to view specific entry requirements. The link below also includes information on passports, visas, immunizations, medical information, additional fees, and conditions ...

  6. Traveler's Checklist

    Other Information for U.S. Citizen Travelers. Information for Travel Agents. Travel to High-Risk Areas. Traveling with firearms. Traveling with a pet. Travel during tropical storm season. FBI Safety and Security Information for U.S. Students Traveling Abroad. Customs and import restrictions. Global Entry.

  7. Travel.State.Gov CSI

    Do you want to know the safety and security situation of your travel destination? Check out the color coded map from the U.S. Department of State, which shows the level of risk for each country and region. You can also find detailed information and alerts for specific locations by clicking on the map. Plan your trip wisely and stay informed with the latest travel advisories.

  8. Travelers

    Emergency Travel Resources Our highest priority is to protect the lives and interests of U.S. citizens overseas. We do this through routine and emergency services to Americans at our embassies and consulates around the world. Below are links to frequently visited pages on our travel website, travel.state.gov. AMERICANS ABROAD Lost or Stolen Passport: What you […]

  9. New Travel Advisories for U.S. Travelers

    Fact Sheet Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC January 10, 2018 On January 10, 2018, the Department of State launched improvements to how we share information with U.S. travelers. These improvements will provide U.S. citizens with clear, timely, and reliable safety and security information worldwide. Under the new system, every country will have a Travel […]

  10. Smart Traveler Enrollment Program

    The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel ...

  11. Everything you need to know about State Department travel advisories

    To help keep American travelers safe, the U.S. Department of State issues and maintains travel advisories for U.S. citizens based on current circumstances. These advisories can be particularly helpful for first-time and younger travelers, though the agency encourages all people to review them for their desired destination ahead of travel.

  12. Visas

    Nonimmigrant visas allow people to visit the United States for short periods and for specific purposes. If you want to move here permanently, please see the information below on immigrant visas. A foreign national traveling to the United States for tourism needs a visitor visa (B-2) unless qualifying for entry under the Visa Waiver Program.

  13. International Travel Recommendations

    Office of the Spokesperson. April 26, 2022. U.S. citizens considering international travel should plan ahead and be informed about travel requirements before making decisions or firm travel plans. We urge U.S. citizens considering international travel to check their passport expiration date early and if renewal is needed, to submit applications ...

  14. Travel.State.Gov CSI

    Travel.State.Gov CSI is a web-based tool that allows users to view larger maps of countries and regions with travel advisories issued by the U.S. Department of State. Users can zoom in and out, search by name or code, and access relevant information on safety, security, health, and entry requirements. Whether you are planning a trip to Jordan, Israel, or any other destination, Travel.State.Gov ...

  15. Traveler Advice

    US State Department Travel Site: Safety and security information by country, passport, visas, and entry/exit requirements. Advice for travelers before, during, and after their trips. Includes different types of travelers, reasons for travel, and tips for staying safe and healthy during travel.

  16. Visa Appointment Wait Times

    This site is managed by the U.S. Department of State. External links to other Internet sites and listings of private entities on this page are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as the U.S. Department of State or U.S. government endorsement of the entity, its views, the products or services it provides, or the accuracy of ...

  17. U.S. Department of State

    The U.S. court case that 'forced the nation to change'. ShareAmerica is the U.S. Department of State's platform for stories about America and the principles that underlie U.S. foreign policy. Leading America's foreign policy to advance the interests and security of the American people.

  18. Travel Advisory: Update for Mexico

    Location: Mexico Event: The U.S. Department of State updated the Mexico Travel Advisory and the Mexico country information page on August 22, 2023. The Travel Advisory includes individual risk assessment levels for each state. Actions to Take: Read the Mexico Travel Advisory, including the detailed state summaries and advisory levels for information on your specific travel destination.

  19. COVID-19 Travel Advisory Updates

    The Department of State has no greater responsibility than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas. We are committed to providing U.S. citizens with up-to-date and timely information, so they are informed as they make international travel plans and when they are abroad. Given the increases in international travel, the availability of effective COVID-19 […]

  20. Privately owned vehicle (POV) mileage reimbursement rates

    For calculating the mileage difference between airports, please visit the U.S. Department of Transportation's Inter-Airport Distance website. QUESTIONS: For all travel policy questions, email [email protected]. The shortcut to this page is gsa.gov/mileage.

  21. Do you need a passport to travel in the U.S. in 2024?

    According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), all U.S. travelers must meet the REAL ID requirements to board domestic flights by May 7, 2025 (it was last slated for May 3, 2024, with ...

  22. Iowa Department of Transportation: Updated information on the closure

    MASON CITY, Iowa - Feb. 27, 2024 - On Sunday, Feb. 25, the Iowa Department of Transportation was alerted to unexpected movement on the existing Mississippi River Bridge connecting Iowa Highway 9 in Lansing, Iowa to Wisconsin Highway 82 in rural Crawford County, Wisconsin. The bridge was closed as a result of this discovery. After thoroughly inspecting the bridge, engineers have determined ...

  23. Travel Smart from the Start

    March 31, 2023. The U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens traveling and living overseas. As more U.S. citizens travel abroad - for family visits, vacation, or any occasion - we remind you to travel smart from the start by doing the following: Check your passport's expiration date ...

  24. News releases

    Minnesota Department of Transportation Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations - Oversize/Overweight Permits 651-296-6000 Or email: [email protected]. For the most current information, go to MnDOT's automated 24-hour message center at 800-723-6543 for the U.S. and Canada, or 651-366-5400 for the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.