Haiti has the highest (Level 4) Travel Advisory (“Do Not Travel”) for kidnapping, crime, and civil unrest.  The travel advisory for Haiti, available at travel.state.gov, notes that kidnapping is widespread and victims regularly include U.S. citizens.  Kidnapping cases often involve ransom negotiations and U.S. citizen victims have been physically harmed during kidnappings. Local police generally lack the resources to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents.   

The U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens who travel to Haiti despite this warning to register their trip with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.  STEP is a free service that allows U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate so that we can provide important security and other information to the U.S. citizen community in Haiti. 

• Use extreme caution in traveling around the country;
• Avoid demonstrations and large gatherings of people;
• If you encounter a roadblock, turn around and get to a safe area;  
• Make and practice contingency plans for sheltering in place and/or accessing airports; and
• Review the guidance on travel to High Risk Areas.