South Sudan Travel Risk Overview
Official US advisory · Level 4
Do Not Travel
This decision takes precedence over the analytical baseline composite.
Is South Sudan safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
South Sudan scores 75/100 on our travel risk index (Extreme). The US State Department rates South Sudan Level 4 (Do Not Travel, updated 17 May 2026); the UK FCDO advises against all travel to the whole country (updated 25 Aug 2026); Canada says: avoid all travel. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
South Sudan has a Travel Risk Calculator score of 75 out of 100 (extreme risk tier); city-level files are available for 19 cities. The score combines five layers (security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards, current alerts) built from government advisories and open data. This page also covers nine safety categories (crime, disease & health, government advisory, political & civil unrest, natural disaster & weather, transport & route, environmental, digital security, money safety), the current US State Department advisory, GDACS disaster alerts, CDC health notices for South Sudan, recent news headlines, plus links to every city we have an editorial file for.
Run a personalized South Sudan assessmentAI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 13, 2026
South Sudan maintains an extreme risk baseline composite score of 75 out of 100 and a Level 4 travel advisory from the US State Department. Travelers face ongoing drought conditions affecting the region, as well as a Level 1 global dengue health notice from the CDC.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 16, 2026 08:32 UTC
How safe is South Sudan to visit in 2026?
South Sudan is currently under a US State Department Level 4 Do Not Travel advisory. That official decision takes precedence. The 75/100 extreme baseline composite remains visible only as analytical context and must not be read as permission to disregard the advisory. The full live US State Department advisory text for South Sudan, current GDACS disaster alerts, CDC health notices, and recent news headlines are shown in the Live conditions section below. For city-specific files (Juba, Yei, Farajok), see the City Risk Files section below — they include neighborhood-level scam patterns, transport notes, and medical-access details where available.
Country score
Driven by: The US State Department and Government of Canada and UK FCDO advise against all travel here, so the score is held at 75 or higher.
South Sudan's score of 75 is higher than the scores of 91% of the 241 countries we cover.
Data file
| Source | Editorial regional baseline 2026-05-15 (GPI + State Dept advisory + WHO health/transport + INFORM disaster) |
|---|---|
| Last updated | 2026-05-18 02:25:55 |
| City files | 19 |
Assessment memory
Anonymous assessments help Travel Risk Calculator identify which country and city files deserve deeper review.
| Saved assessments | 0 |
|---|---|
| Average composite | No saved signal yet |
Score layers
Safety categories
Official Government Travel Advisories
Cross-referenced official travel advice from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, normalized to a unified 1–4 risk scale.
Department of State
Do not travelto South Sudan due to risk of unrest, crime, kidnapping, landmines, and health risks. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency …
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
FCDO travel advice for South Sudan. Includes safety and security, insurance, entry requirements and legal differences.
Global Affairs Canada
UK content contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Canadian advice provided by Global Affairs Canada under open government terms. US advice provided by the US Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs.
Entry Requirements & Local Laws
Official travel advice summary from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
🛂 Entry Requirements
This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK who choose to travel against Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of South Sudan’s current rules for the most common types of travel. The authorities in South Sudan set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the South Sudanese Embassy in the UK. Passport validity requirements To enter South Sudan, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the day you arrive and have at least 2 blank pages. Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to. You will be denied entry if you do no
Summary of UK FCDO advice, updated Aug 25, 2026 · Full requirements →
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Travel Advisory Level History
Historical official advisory level changes over time.
What Changed This Month in South Sudan
Chronological record of verified security, advisory, health, and hazard updates over the past 30 days.
- Jul 3, 2026 GDACS Alert Drought is on going in Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan, Chad (orange).
- Oct 2, 2026 CDC Notice Level 1 - Global Dengue (Watch).
- Sep 23, 2026 CDC Notice Level 2 - Global Polio (Alert).
City Risk Files in South Sudan
Showing 19 destination files with city-specific safety data in South Sudan, ranked by demand and population.
Juba
Tier BCentral Equatoria
Yei
Tier BCentral Equatoria
Farajok
Tier BEastern Equatoria
Nimule
Tier BEastern Equatoria
Kafia Kingi
Tier BWestern Bahr el Ghazal
Kapoeta
Tier BEastern Equatoria
Kajo Kaji
Tier BCentral Equatoria
Ikoto
Tier BEastern Equatoria
Renk
Tier BUpper Nile
Bor
Tier BJonglei
Magwe
Tier BEastern Equatoria
Torit
Tier BEastern Equatoria
Yambio
Tier BWestern Equatoria
Wau
Tier BWestern Bahr el Ghazal
Aweil
Tier BNorthern Bahr el Ghazal
Nasir
Tier BUpper Nile
Maridi
Tier BWestern Equatoria
Malakal
Tier BUpper Nile
Leer
Tier BUnity
All towns in South Sudan (8 additional local facts pages)
These localities carry verified regional geography, nearest hospitals, airports, and natural hazard records with the country baseline risk score.
Live conditions in South Sudan
Country-scoped real-time data — official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For city-specific weather and air quality, open any city page below.
Official travel advisory
Level 4 · Do Not Travel
South Sudan - Level 4: Do Not Travel
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Track South Sudan’s advisory
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Traveller notes from government advice
LGBT+ travellers
Same-sex relationships are not culturally accepted. Same-sex sexual activity between men is illegal and punishable by a prison sentence of up to 14 years. LGBT+ travellers are at risk of discrimination and violence.
Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.
Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 25 Aug 2026. Full advice
Local laws and customs
Personal ID
Police can ask to see photo ID. Always carry a colour copy of your passport with you.
Illegal drugs penalties
There are severe penalties for using or trafficking drugs in South Sudan, including the death penalty and life imprisonment.
Using cameras
Do not take photographs close to government buildings, military installations, bridges, airports, public utilities (including petrol stations) and other sensitive areas. Plainclothes public security officers operate in Juba and across South Sudan.
LGBT+ travellers
Same-sex relationships are not culturally accepted. Same-sex sexual activity between men is illegal and punishable by a prison sentence of up to 14 years. LGBT+ travellers are at risk of discrimination and violence.
Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.
Money
International credit and debit cards are not widely accepted, although some of the newer hotels and supermarkets are starting to.
ATMs are hard to find, and it is often not possible to use…
Read the full UK government advice
Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 25 Aug 2026. Full advice
Entry requirements
This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK who choose to travel against Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of South Sudan’s current rules for the most common types of travel.
The authorities in South Sudan set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the South Sudanese Embassy in the UK.
Passport validity requirements
To enter South Sudan, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the day you arrive and have at least 2 blank pages.
Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew…
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel.
Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 25 Aug 2026. Official entry requirements
Disaster alerts
Active Disaster Alerts
-
Drought is on going in Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan, Chad ORANGE · country-wide · 2026-07-03
The Drought notification level is Orange.
“~N km away” = event centroid within ~500 km of this location; “country-wide” = a national/regional alert that may not be near this specific city. Source: GDACS · fetched 2026-10-16 08:32:18 UTC
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-10-02
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Vietnam, Maldives, Bolivia, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Mar
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-16 07:26:45 UTC
Recent headlines
No recent national headlines were returned for South Sudan. This is not evidence that conditions are quiet; check local and official sources.
Automated safety monitor
Recent safety-relevant news for South Sudan
Headlines are an early-warning monitor, not risk assessments. Verify material developments with official authorities and the linked publisher.
- General South Sudan Women and Their Empowerment - The Borgen Project borgenproject.org · Oct 15, 2026 14:30 UTC · via Googlenews
- General When the Rains Become Harder to Predict, Preparedness Becomes Essential - Oxfam www.oxfam.org · Oct 14, 2026 12:39 UTC · via Googlenews
- Safety FM Cho Calls for Attention to Safety of Hanbit Unit in Meeting with South Sudanese Envoy - news.sbs.co.kr news.sbs.co.kr · Oct 14, 2026 06:57 UTC · via Googlenews
- Safety FM Cho requests South Sudan to ensure safety of S. Korean troops, nationals - Yonhap News Agency en.yna.co.kr · Oct 14, 2026 06:46 UTC · via Googlenews
- Politics Dozens of gold workers in northern Sudan were killed over the weekend after warplanes bombed an open air mine near the Egyptian border, according to Sudanese rights groups, graphic video and eyewitnesses interviewed by The New York Times. - Facebook www.facebook.com · Oct 13, 2026 07:25 UTC · via Googlenews
- Health Ebola Outbreak: Current Situation - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC (.gov) www.cdc.gov · Oct 13, 2026 07:00 UTC · via Googlenews
- Crime Sudan - Darfur Conflict, Genocide, War Crimes - Britannica www.britannica.com · Oct 12, 2026 05:00 UTC · via Googlenews
- Politics Air strikes kill dozens of gold miners on Sudan-Egypt border - DW.com www.dw.com · Oct 11, 2026 19:46 UTC · via Googlenews
This country currently has a Level 4 US advisory. Compare the high-risk-country watchlist →
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit South Sudan
The most weather-stable two-month window for South Sudan is July–August, when typical daily temperatures run from about 22°C to 30°C and monthly rain averages 152 mm.
Seasonal planning flags include extreme heat in January–March. These are climate patterns, not forecasts.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Sep 7, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Emergency Numbers
| Police | — |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | — |
| Fire | — |
| General emergency | 999 |
Backfilled from the public international emergency-number registry. The GSM standard 112 (and 911 in the Americas) is redirected to local emergency services on mobile networks in most countries. Verify locally on arrival.
Frequently asked questions
Is South Sudan safe to visit right now?
Follow the current official advisory. The baseline composite is analytical context and does not weaken that decision. Composite baseline: 75/100 (Extreme risk). Always cross-check with your home country's foreign-ministry advisory within 7 days of departure; the live US State Department advisory is shown above. Last refreshed October 2026.
What is the current travel advisory for South Sudan?
The current US State Department advisory level for South Sudan is shown in the Live conditions section above and is re-fetched every 6 hours from the official RSS feed. UK FCDO, Canada GAC, and Australia DFAT also publish advisories — for high-stakes trips, cross-check at least one foreign-ministry advisory in addition to your home country's. See our travel advisory guide for how to read each tier system.
Is it safe to visit South Sudan in October 2026?
For October 2026, the baseline composite for South Sudan is 75/100 (Extreme risk). Live data — advisories every 6 hours, disaster alerts every 30 minutes, health notices every 12 hours, news every hour — is shown in the Live conditions section above. For a personalized risk briefing for your specific trip and traveler profile, use the Travel Risk Calculator linked above.
How are these country-level travel risk scores calculated?
Each category is scored 0-100 from government advisories (US State Dept), crime indices, Global Peace Index data, WHO/CDC health context, and curated regional editorial knowledge. The composite is a weighted sum across nine categories — see /methodology for the full weight breakdown. Live data (advisories, news, disaster alerts, health notices) is layered on top of the baseline at request time.
Where can I find city-specific safety information for South Sudan?
City-specific files for South Sudan are listed in the City Risk Files section above. Each city page covers the same nine categories at city scope, plus city-specific scam patterns, transport-hub safety notes, medical-access detail, and (where available) neighborhood-level guidance. Use the header search to find a specific city directly.
When was this page last reviewed?
The baseline scores for South Sudan were last reviewed on May 18, 2026. Live intelligence (advisory, disaster alerts, health notices, news) refreshes automatically on the cadences described above.
Is this a substitute for an official travel advisory?
No. Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated risk information for planning purposes only. Always check your home country's official travel advisory and any health notices from your national health authority before traveling.
When is the best time to visit South Sudan?
July–August is the most weather-stable two-month window in the stored 1991-2020 normals. The most weather-stable two-month window for South Sudan is July–August, when typical daily temperatures run from about 22°C to 30°C and monthly rain averages 152 mm.
What is the rainy, hurricane, or severe-weather season in South Sudan?
extreme heat: January–March.
Community Safety Sentiment
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.