The US State Department has released a four-point safety ranking system similar to a travel advisory and an interactive world map showing war zones and countries that pose serious security risks. Accordingly, Sri Lanka has been listed as having the lowest advisory level.
Sri Lanka is now listed as a Level-1 country which means ‘Exercise normal precautions when travelling to Sri Lanka’. Other countries in Level-1 include Australia, Singapore, Brunei, Sweden and Switzerland. According to the descriptions provided on the State Department website, Level-1 is the lowest advisory level.
Meanwhile, 10 war zones and states have been ranked Level Four, "Do Not Travel". This includes Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
North Korea is also Level Four, with the additional restriction that US law prohibits American travellers from using their passports there, effectively banning visits.
The Straits Times quotes an official at the State Department who insists that the change is to make advice clearer to US travellers. "These are not political documents. These are simply based on our assessment of the security situation," senior consular official Michelle Bernier-Toth said.
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