South Africa Travel Advisory 2026

Current U.S. State Department advisory

Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution

Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. Most popular travel destinations worldwide sit at this level. Advisory as of May 26, 2025.

Official source: travel.state.gov

US vs UK: how the advice compares

🇺🇸 United States — travel.state.gov

Level 2· Exercise Increased Caution

Level 2 of 4 · as of May 26, 2025

🇬🇧 United Kingdom — FCDO (GOV.UK)

No overall travel warning

Last updated June 24, 2026 · gov.uk advice

Latest UK update note: “New information about increased risk of protests and possible travel disruptions on and around 30 June 2026 (see ‘Political situation’ on 'Safety and security' page).”

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

Advisory level timeline

May 26, 2025 — current
Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Latest official advisory as captured in our snapshot.
No advisory level changes recorded for South Africa since we began tracking in July 2026. We log every future change here, with dates and official change notes.

Is South Africa safe? What the official advisory says

in South Africa due to crime, terrorism, unrest, and kidnapping.

Violent crime is common and includes robbery, rape, carjacking and mugging. There are also "smash-and-grab" attacks on vehicles. Violent crime is more common in the downtown areas of big cities, especially after dark.
Kidnapping is a threat in South Africa. Kidnappers target U.S. citizens and other foreign travelers to steal money.
Captors often force victims to withdraw cash or give online account passwords before they are let go. Though rare, some kidnappings involve demanding ransom from families.
There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity, in South Africa.
Demonstrations, protests, and strikes occur frequently. They can: Start suddenly
Interrupt traffic, transportation, and other services
Turn violent
Due to the risks, U.S. government employees working in South Africa must obtain special authorization to travel to many informal settlements (townships) in and around Cape Town. U.S. mission staff must use fully armored vehicles when visiting and visiting hours are limited to 10:00 -15:00 weekdays only.

Condensed from the official State Department advisory of May 26, 2025 — read the full advisory before you travel.

South Africa travel advisory FAQ

What is the current travel advisory level for South Africa?

As of May 26, 2025, the U.S. State Department rates South Africa at Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. Most popular travel destinations worldwide sit at this level.

What does Level 2 mean?

Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) — Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. Most popular travel destinations worldwide sit at this level.

When did the South Africa travel advisory last change?

The current advisory was published on May 26, 2025. 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 South Africa?

The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) position: No overall travel warning (last updated June 24, 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.