Foreign travel advice

Somalia

! Warning FCDO advises against all travel to parts of Somalia.

Warnings and insuranceSummary

Still current at:
2612 MarchJanuary 2024
Updated:
2612 MarchJanuary 2024
Latest update:
ThisUpdate travel advice has been rewritten to makeSafety it easier to read and understand.Security page
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Your

The FCDO advises against all travel insuranceto:

  • Somalia, couldexcept bethe invalidatedthree ifwestern youregions travelof againstSomaliland: adviceAwdal from(including Boorama), theMaroodijeh Foreign,(including CommonwealthHargeisa) &and DevelopmentSahil Office(including (FCDO).

    Berbera).

Areas

The where FCDO advises against all but essential travel

to:

Parts
  • the ofthree Somalia,western includingregions easternof Somaliland  

Awdal (Boorama), Maroodijeh (Hargeisa) and Sahil (Berbera).

FCDOThe advisessecurity againstsituation allacross Somalia remains extremely volatile; you should exercise extreme caution.

If you do choose to travel to Somalia, includingcheck the 3‘Entry easternrequirements’ regionssection offor SomalilandSomalia’s –current Togdheer,entry Sanaagrestrictions and Soolrequirements. –These andmay excludingchange thewith 3little westernwarning. regionsMonitor ofthis Somalilandadvice –for Awdal,the Maroodijehlatest updates and Sahil.stay Thisin iscontact duewith your travel provider.

If you plan to pass through another country to return to the threatUK, fromcheck terroristthe groupstravel andadvice continuingfor violence.the country you’re transiting.

Western Somaliland

FCDOTerrorists advisesare againstvery alllikely butto essentialtry travel to thecarry 3out westernattacks regionsin Somalia. There is a high threat of Somalilandkidnap –throughout Awdalthe (includingcountry. Boorama),A Maroodijehnumber (includingof Hargeisa)Western andnationals, Sahilincluding (includingBritish Berbera).

Findnationals, outhave morebeen aboutkidnapped whyin FCDOSomalia advisesand againstsome travel.

Supporthave frombeen FCDO

Supportkilled. fromTerrorist FCDOgroups ishave severelymade limitedthreats inagainst Somalia,westerners includingand Somaliland,those withworking nofor supportwestern inorganisations. personThere fromis staffa atconstant thethreat Britishof Embassyterrorist Mogadishuattack orin theMogadishu Britishand Officeterrorists Hargeisa.

Ifcontinue youto needplan urgentattacks helpagainst fromwesterners in the UKrest government,of forSomalia, exampleincluding ifSomaliland. you’veTerrorist beenattacks arrestedcould orbe you’reindiscriminate, concernedincluding aboutin forcedcrowded marriage,places, contact:

Iflegitimate you’retargets inby theterrorist UKgroups. See Terrorism

Political and arecommunity-based concernedviolence is aboutcommonplace aacross BritishSomalia nationaland incan Somalia,flare includingup Somaliland,with calllittle FCDOwarning. onSee 020Safety 7008and 5000.Security.

People

Piracy ofin Somalithe descent,waters includingoff SomalilandSomalia descent

has been suppressed but not eradicated. The governmentarea of Somaliathe andSouthern theRed authoritiesSea inremains Somalilanda willhotspot considerfor anymaritime Britishsecurity nationalincidents. ofSee SomaliSea (includingtravel

Conflict Somaliland)and descentenvironmental toproblems besuch aas dualdrought national.and FCDOflooding canhave offerdisplaced onlyhundreds limitedof consularthousands supportof people, in theseall cases. 

Beforeareas youof the country. See Local travel

NoLand travelborders canwith becountries guaranteedneighbouring safe.Somalia Readmay allclose theat adviceshort innotice. thisYou guideshould andcheck anywith specificlocal travelauthorities advicebefore thattravelling applies to you:

Travelborder insurance

without the correct documents.

IfConsular yousupport chooseis toseverely travel,limited researchin yourSomalia. destinationsThe andBritish getEmbassy appropriatein travelMogadishu insurance.and InsuranceBritish shouldOffice coverHargeisa yourdo itinerary,not plannedprovide activitiesconsular andservices. expensesIf you’re in anSomalia emergency.

About(excluding FCDOSomaliland) traveland advice

FCDOneed providesurgent advicehelp aboutfrom risksthe ofUK travelgovernment to(e.g. helpif Britishyou’ve nationalsbeen makearrested informedor decisions.you’re Findconcerned outabout moreforced aboutmarriage), FCDOcontact travelthe adviceBritish High Commission in Nairobi.

Follow andIf you’re in Somaliland, you should contact FCDOthe travelBritish onEmbassy Twitter,in FacebookAddis Ababa. If you’re in the UK and Instagram.are Youconcerned canabout alsoa signBritish upnational toin getSomalia email(including notificationsSomaliland), whencall thisthe FCDO on advice020 is7008 updated.5000.

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