First put out by the U.S. State Department in 1978 as monthly bulletins about the safety situation in countries popular among American travelers, the travel advisory system eventually evolved into the existing four-tiered rating system.
It ranks each of the 197 countries and member states recognized by the United Nations according to how safe or dangerous they are to visit.
The first “exercise normal precautions” tier is assigned to countries that are just as, or in some cases even safer, than back home, while level four’s “do not travel” advisory is usually reserved for war zones, authoritarian governments, and countries with which the U.S. otherwise lacks diplomatic relations.
Ethiopia saw more than 1.2 million international tourists in the last nine months, AllAfrica noted. Although the East African nation is emerging as a popular tourist destination, it is still ranked as level three’s “reconsider travel” by the U.S. State Department.
Ethiopian travel advisory draws attention to Americans’ immigration fines
At the start of April, the government agency in charge of citizen safety abroad updated its travel advisory for Ethiopia. While the rating remains unchanged, the new on-the-ground summary for the country draws attention to issues such as disruptions in communication and potential exit bans.
While the latter does not draw attention to anything new, and most countries can ban those who violated local laws from leaving before a hearing, the new advisory reminds Americans of these laws in Ethiopia.
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“If you break immigration laws in Ethiopia — even by mistake — you could be deported, fined, imprisoned, or subjected to an exit ban,” the travel advisory now reads.
“Exit bans prevent travelers from leaving. The Government of Ethiopia imposes exit bans on Americans who have unpaid immigration fines and strictly enforces them. There have been cases where Americans have been fined more than $100,000 in immigration fines.”
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President Trump targets African countries with bans; many fight back
The reference to communication disruptions states that during local protests or other civil unrest that periodically breaks out “internet, cellular data, and phone services are often restricted or shut down” by the government.
Throughout his first year in the White House, President Donald Trump has disproportionately targeted African nations with full travel bans, extensive restrictions on coming into the U.S., and more hostile language in travel advisories to Americans.
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Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Chad, the Republic of Congo, and Equatorial Guinea are all included in the full travel ban that the president brought back from his first term in June 2025.
In the same month, South African Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille issued a statement refuting the tone of a South African travel advisory focusing on violent crime and kidnappings.
De Lille also claimed the alarmist-sounding advisory was influenced by a May 2025 White House meeting. Trump at that time ambushed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with widely denied allegations of widespread genocide against the country’s white population, Reuters reported.
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