The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has lifted travel bans on parts of Cambodia and Venezuela. Meanwhile, it decided to maintain travel bans on countries and regions facing conflict and security instability, including Iran, until the end of January next year.
The ministry said on the 9th that, following deliberation at the 55th Passport Policy Council, it downgraded the travel advisory for parts of Cambodia and Venezuela, where Level 4 (travel ban) had been issued, from Level 4 (travel ban) to Level 3 (recommendation to leave).
In Cambodia, the travel ban was lifted on the Bokor Mountain area of Kampot province, Bavet city, and Poipet city, which had been designated as travel ban zones in October last year. The ministry explained that the change reflected improved security conditions, including a 94% decline in reports of Koreans being held captive and other harm locally in the first half of this year compared with the same period last year.
Venezuela also had its travel bans lifted for Zulia, Tachira, Apure, and Sucre states, with travel advisories adjusted to Level 3.
By contrast, travel ban designations were extended until January 31 next year for 10 countries — Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Ukraine, Sudan, Haiti, Mali, and Iran — and 12 regions, including parts of the Philippines, Myanmar, Russia, Belarus, and Syria, as well as the Gaza Strip in Palestine.
Anyone who visits or stays in these countries or regions without government permission may face criminal punishment and administrative sanctions on their passport under the Passport Act.
The ministry also carried out regular travel advisory adjustments. The travel advisory for Cambodia's Sihanoukville province was lowered from Level 3 to Level 2 (advice to refrain from travel), and the special travel advisory issued for seven provinces bordering Thailand was lifted and adjusted to Level 1 (travel caution). Nepal's special travel advisory for Bagmati province was also downgraded to Level 1, taking into account the stabilization of the situation since the new government took office last March. However, for 15 countries including El Salvador and Cuba, the ministry decided to extend the special travel advisory by 90 days, considering local security and political conditions.
