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Americans considering trips to some of the world’s most dangerous destinations are being urged to take extraordinary precautions, including preparing wills, setting contingency plans and leaving DNA samples with trusted parties before departure, according to recently updated U.S. government travel guidance.
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Heightened warnings for travel to high-risk destinations
Recent updates to U.S. travel advisories highlight a growing emphasis on personal contingency planning for Americans heading to countries classified as high-risk, particularly those rated “Level 4: Do Not Travel.” Publicly available guidance for travelers to high-risk areas advises U.S. citizens to think through worst-case scenarios well in advance of departure, including what would happen if they were killed, seriously injured, kidnapped or wrongfully detained abroad.([travel.state.gov](https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/high-risk-areas.html?lv=true&utm_source=openai))
The State Department’s dedicated page on travel to high-risk areas states that travelers who decide to disregard Do Not Travel advisories should take steps such as drafting a will, designating insurance beneficiaries and powers of attorney, and discussing care plans for children, pets, property and other assets. The same guidance recommends leaving DNA samples with a medical provider and ensuring dental records are accessible to family members in case they are needed to identify remains.([travel.state.gov](https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/high-risk-areas.html?lv=true&utm_source=openai))
These recommendations sit alongside more conventional advice such as enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), maintaining a low profile, and having an independent plan to leave a country in an emergency without relying on government-organized evacuations. The overall message in the publicly available material is that traveling to some destinations now carries risks comparable to entering an active conflict or hostage environment.([travel.state.gov](https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/high-risk-areas.html?lv=true&utm_source=openai))
Examples from current country advisories
Country-specific advisories for nations such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Iran and Russia illustrate how the general high-risk guidance is being applied on the ground. The travel advisory for Afghanistan, updated to Level 4 on February 20, 2026, cites threats including terrorism, crime, civil unrest, wrongful detention and kidnapping, and notes that criminal groups target anyone perceived to have money.([travel.state.gov](https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/afghanistan.html?os=__&utm_source=openai))
For travelers who still choose to go, the Afghanistan advisory directs readers to the broader high-risk areas guidance and repeats recommendations to draft a will, make clear arrangements for dependents and property, and leave DNA samples with a medical provider so loved ones can access them if identification becomes necessary.([archive.md](https://archive.md/HkfkQ?utm_source=openai))
Similar language now appears in other Level 4 advisories. The advisory for Iraq, updated in 2026, warns of terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict and civil unrest, and again advises U.S. citizens to leave DNA samples with a medical provider for potential identification purposes.([travel.state.gov](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/iraq-travel-advisory.html?utm_source=openai))
In Somalia’s advisory, travelers are warned of crime, terrorism, piracy, civil unrest and kidnapping, including explicit reference to hostage-taking. The guidance there also directs travelers to leave DNA samples with a medical professional so families can access them if needed.([travel.state.gov](https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/somalia.html?utm_source=openai))
Rising concern over wrongful detention and hostage risk
The call for Americans to prepare wills and leave DNA samples in advance reflects mounting concern about wrongful detentions and hostage situations involving U.S. nationals overseas. Public statements and legal documents show that in recent years the U.S. government has designated multiple foreign governments and non-state actors as responsible for wrongful detentions and hostage-taking, including cases in Iran and Russia.([2021-2025.state.gov](https://2021-2025.state.gov/wrongful-detention/?utm_source=openai))
According to published coverage and official summaries, U.S. agencies have reported bringing home more than 60 Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained worldwide over a three-year period, from locations including Afghanistan, Iran, Russia and parts of Africa and Latin America. The same materials describe the introduction of a specific “wrongful detention” risk indicator in travel advisories to flag destinations where governments or groups are assessed as likely to detain U.S. citizens for coercive or political reasons.([govinfo.gov](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-03-13/pdf/FR-2024-03-13.pdf?utm_source=openai))
Country advisories for Russia and Iran underline that trend. The Russia advisory notes that the risk of wrongful detention of U.S. nationals remains high and directs travelers to the broader high-risk areas guidance. Public summaries on Iran similarly highlight wrongful detention, kidnapping and arbitrary arrest as significant dangers, alongside terrorism and political unrest.([travel.state.gov](https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/russia.html?os=v&utm_source=openai))
High-risk guidance found in travel advisory archives also addresses how families might respond if a loved one is taken hostage. In addition to urging travelers to leave DNA samples, the material suggests that Americans traveling to such destinations establish prearranged questions and answers that families can use to verify a hostage’s identity and condition should a kidnapping occur.([archive.md](https://archive.md/II0h4?utm_source=openai))
What preparing a will and leaving DNA actually entails
While the idea of preparing a will or leaving a DNA sample before a trip may sound extreme, the guidance frames these steps as part of comprehensive risk management for an increasingly volatile security environment. Publicly available checklists and brochures on international and high-risk travel point out that many Americans do not have up-to-date estate documents or clear instructions for medical and financial decision-making even at home.([travel.state.gov](https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/planning/checklist.html?utm_source=openai))
For travelers to high-risk areas, the recommendation to complete a will typically sits alongside advice to designate powers of attorney, clarify beneficiaries for life insurance and retirement accounts, and put in writing how dependents, pets and property should be cared for in case of death, disappearance or long-term detention abroad. The guidance also encourages sharing important documents, login information and contact lists with trusted family members before departure.([archive.md](https://archive.md/HkfkQ?utm_source=openai))
The suggestion to leave DNA samples is framed as a practical measure designed to spare families additional trauma in the worst scenarios. Advisories recommend that travelers leave DNA samples with their medical provider, so that if remains must be identified, authorities can work through established medical channels rather than asking families to provide samples under crisis conditions. Dental records are also highlighted as critical identifiers that should be accessible to next of kin.([travel.state.gov](https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/high-risk-areas.html?lv=true&utm_source=openai))
These steps are presented as voluntary but strongly urged for those who decide to proceed with travel despite warnings. The overall tone of the guidance signals that in some parts of the world, the personal consequences of a sudden security incident, wrongful detention or mass-casualty attack can be severe enough that end-of-life and identification planning are now considered prudent elements of pre-trip preparation.
Balancing travel freedom with evolving global risks
U.S. travel resources continue to emphasize that decisions about whether to travel ultimately rest with individual citizens, but the language surrounding high-risk areas has sharpened as global security threats evolve. Archived and current guidance notes that in some countries, especially active conflict zones or states with strained relations with Washington, consular assistance may be extremely limited or unavailable if a crisis erupts.([travel.state.gov](https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/afghanistan.html?os=__&utm_source=openai))
At the same time, broader international travel checklists for the general public still focus on more routine preparations, such as passport validity, vaccinations, travel medical insurance and local laws. The distinctive element in the high-risk guidance is the explicit acknowledgment that U.S. citizens may face targeted kidnapping, politically motivated detention or lethal attacks in certain destinations, and that families may be left to navigate complex legal and logistical challenges if the worst occurs.([travel.state.gov](https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/high-risk-areas.html?lv=true&utm_source=openai))
For travelers, the emerging picture is one of greater personal responsibility. The official resources and advisory archives encourage would-be visitors to high-risk countries to weigh carefully whether the purpose of their trip justifies the elevated danger, to prepare for the possibility that government assistance might be constrained, and, if they go, to ensure that loved ones are not left without documentation or information if something goes wrong. The recommendation to prepare wills and leave DNA samples is one of the clearest signals yet of how seriously those risks are now being characterized in public U.S. travel guidance.
Travel to High-Risk Areas – U.S. Department of State
Afghanistan Travel Advisory – U.S. Department of State
Iraq Travel Advisory – U.S. Department of State