What does it mean to be in "Travel Level Advisory Level 4"?
During the news of the Covid pandemic outbreak in 2020, the U.S. Department of State advised all U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel: Travel Level Advisory Level 4. This is the highest Global Health Travel Advisory the U.S. government can enforce for the safety of their citizens and you are highly discouraged from traveling to any destination at this level. So what are the things travelers should be aware?
- What does the Travel Advisory "Level 4" indicate?
- What should I do if I am abroad?
- What does this mean if you decide to remain abroad?
What does the Travel Advisory "Level 4" indicate?
When the U.S. government raise the travel advisory to their highest, "Level 4", this would mean that U.S. citizens who are currently abroad or are already out of the U.S., should arrange travel plans to return back. Travelers should immediately arrange their trip back especially if there are commercial flights available. Another exception is applied if the individual currently holds and is prepared to remain in the country they are visiting for an indefinite period of time.
Also, this indicates that any U.S. citizens who are currently abroad, are advised to avoid any international travel as there are many countries that are implementing mandatory travel restrictions, closing borders, and prohibiting non-citizens to enter the country.
What should I do if I am abroad?
Many airlines cancel their international routes abroad, so when this happens we strongly advise travelers to check the current status of their flight(s) or make immediate plans to return back to the U.S. if commercial flight routes are still available.
What does this mean if you decide to remain abroad?
As advised by the U.S. government, please take note of the important details of this highest level:
- Level 4: Do Not Travel - The highest travel advisory level, this means that you are highly discouraged from traveling to a destination with this level. Visiting a country with this level is dangerous and combined with very limited U.S. government resources, could result in death. The U.S. State Department even advises you to take drastic precautions such as storing DNA samples, drafting a will, and keeping constant communication with loved ones.
If travelers decide to remain abroad, as currently there is no indication of when this will be lifted, your decision would indicate that you have a travel plan that does not rely on the U.S. government for assistance. For example, you have enough funds to cover for the time you are abroad and during the time you are not able to return back to the US, or that you have the necessary travel documents to allow you to stay in the current country.
Travelers are also strongly encouraged to be enrolled in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) which allows them to receive any alerts from the Department of State, as well as, let the government where you are in the state of emergency.
Unexpected incidents can occur at any time and especially when traveling you may be lost in getting the right information. Understanding the ticket rules, your flight status, purchasing travel insurance can all impact your overall decision making on what actions to take and who to contact. Protect your itinerary and before your trip starts by looking at our flexible BudgetAir.com travel protection and service products.