El Salvador Travel Advisory 2026

Current U.S. State Department advisory

Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions

The lowest advisory level. There is some risk in any international travel, but conditions are broadly comparable to everyday life in the United States. Advisory as of June 24, 2026.

Official source: travel.state.gov

US vs UK: how the advice compares

🇺🇸 United States — travel.state.gov

Level 1· Exercise Normal Precautions

Level 1 of 4 · as of June 24, 2026

🇬🇧 United Kingdom — FCDO (GOV.UK)

No overall travel warning

Last updated June 17, 2026 · gov.uk advice

Latest UK update note: “Removal of information about Tropical Storm Cristina.”

See all countries where the two governments disagree on the US vs UK comparison page.

Advisory level timeline

June 24, 2026 — current
Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
Latest official advisory as captured in our snapshot.
No advisory level changes recorded for El Salvador since we began tracking in July 2026. We log every future change here, with dates and official change notes.

Is El Salvador safe? What the official advisory says

in El Salvador .

U.S. government employees working in El Salvador are allowed to travel throughout the country during daylight hours. However, due to road conditions, hilly terrain, possible landslides during the rainy season, and general lack of streetlights, U.S. government employees are prohibited from traveling between cities or departments (the Salvadoran equivalent of states) at night. Gang activity has decreased dramatically since 2022, causing a drop in violent crime and murders.

There are exceptions. U.S. government employees are allowed to travel at all hours between San Salvador and:

El Salvador’s international airport
La Libertad department

U.S. government employees are prohibited from using public buses.

Review our travel guidance for El Salvador to learn how to prepare for a safe trip.

State of Exception

In March 2022, the Government of El Salvador declared a “State of Exception” in response to an increase in gang murders:

The State of Exception allows local authorities to arrest anyone they think is involved in gang activity.
It suspends several constitutional rights. This includes the normal protections of criminal procedure, such as the right to a speedy trial and access to counsel.
Tens of thousands of people are currently in prison under the State of Exception, all awaiting trial.

Several U.S. citizens have been detained under the State of Exception. They have yet to face trial. The State of Exception is still in place.

Condensed from the official State Department advisory of June 24, 2026 — read the full advisory before you travel.

El Salvador travel advisory FAQ

What is the current travel advisory level for El Salvador?

As of June 24, 2026, the U.S. State Department rates El Salvador at Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. The lowest advisory level. There is some risk in any international travel, but conditions are broadly comparable to everyday life in the United States.

What does Level 1 mean?

Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) — The lowest advisory level. There is some risk in any international travel, but conditions are broadly comparable to everyday life in the United States.

When did the El Salvador travel advisory last change?

The current advisory was published on June 24, 2026. No level changes have been recorded since we began tracking in July 2026 — this page will log every future change.

Does the UK government agree with the US advisory for El Salvador?

The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) position: No overall travel warning (last updated June 17, 2026). The US and UK use different systems — the US assigns a 1–4 level, while the UK either advises against travel (entirely or in part) or issues no overall warning.