HTH -- Haiti Earthquake

August 14, 2013. Travel Warning Issued for Haiti

SOURCE: U.S. Department of State

The Department of State has issued this Travel Warning to inform U.S. citizens traveling to or living in Haiti about the security situation in Haiti. This replaces the Travel Warning dated December 28, 2012, to update information regarding the crime level, lack of adequate infrastructure - particularly in medical facilities - seasonal severe inclement weather, and limited police protection. The United Nations' Stabilization Force for Haiti (MINUSTAH) remains in Haiti.

The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to exercise caution when visiting Haiti. Hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens safely visit Haiti each year, but the poor state of Haiti's emergency response network should be carefully considered when planning travel. Travelers to Haiti are encouraged to use organizations that have solid infrastructure, evacuation, and medical support options in place.

Haiti's infrastructure remains in poor condition and inadequate.

U.S. citizens have been victims of violent crime, including murder and kidnapping, predominately in the Port-au-Prince area. To date in 2013, two U.S. citizens arriving in Port-au-Prince on flights from the United States were attacked and robbed shortly after departing the airport. It is recommended that U.S. citizens have their host/organization meet them at the airport upon arrival and/or have pre-arranged airport transfers and hotels. While the government of Haiti has made progress in recent months to arrest and disrupt perpetrators, kidnapping for ransom can affect anyone in Haiti, particularly those maintaining long-term residence in the country.

Regions of Haiti outside the capital have lower reported incidents of crime. However, authorities' ability to respond to emergencies is limited and in some areas nonexistent. Should a traveler find him or herself in an emergency, local health, police, judicial and physical infrastructure limitations mean there are few local resources available to help resolve the problem. Embassy employees are required to adhere to certain required security and safety measures when traveling outside of Port-au-Prince, which constrains our ability to provide emergency services to U.S. Citizens outside of Port-au-Prince.

U.S. Embassy personnel are under an Embassy-imposed curfew of 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. and must remain at home or other safe facility during curfew hours. Additionally, there are restrictions on travel by Embassy staff in certain areas or times. This may constrain the Embassy's ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens outside Port-au-Prince.

The Haitian National Police (HNP), with assistance from MINUSTAH, is responsible for keeping peace and rendering assistance. However, given the possibility and unpredictability of violent protests, its ability to assist U.S. citizens during disturbances is very limited. U.S. government-facilitated evacuations, such as the evacuation that took place from Haiti in 2010, occur only when no safe commercial alternatives exist.