US issues travel advisory for Jamaica and Bahamas

On January 23, the US Department of State issued a level three travel advisory. 

This advisory recommends residents to rethink their travel due to arising safety risks. 

It comes right below the highest advisory level, i.e. level four, which lists countries under the ‘Do No Travel’ mark.

Warning residents of the possible violent crimes such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults and homicides, the Department of State has cautioned people that local police doesn't always respond well to severe criminal incidents.

The warning note also reminds US citizens that if subjected to such accidents, their families would have to wait a year or even more for the Jamaican authorities to issue final death certificates.

Ranking from level one, these advisories go up to level four. 

The first one recommends “normal precautions”, whereas the precaution level heightens in level 2. Despite the “increased precaution" warning, this rating doesn't fully guide one to avoid the country altogether.

On the other hand, countries marked with the level four rating are listed as ”Do Not Travel". Both level three and four countries are marked under “Reconsider Travel”.

Countries listed in the Level three US travel advisory

Burundi

Chad

Colombia

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Egypt

El Salvador

Ethiopia

Guatemala

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

Honduras

Jamaica

Lebanon

Macau

Mauritania

Nicaragua

Niger

Nigeria

Pakistan

Papua New Guinea

Saudi Arabia

South Sudan

Trinidad and Tobago

Uganda

Countries with Level 4 travel warning

Afghanistan

Belarus

Burkina Faso

Burma

Central African Republic

Haiti

Iran

Iraq

Libya

Mali

North Korea

Russia

Somalia

South Sudan

Sudan

Syria

Ukraine

Venezuela

Yemen