Why 6 Mexico states still carry a Level 4 Do Not Travel warning

Six states still flagged don't travel

The U.S. State Department keeps Mexico at a Level 2 country advisory while six states stay at Level 4 "don't Travel": Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas. The current Mexico advisory page carries an issue date of Aug. 12, 2025 and Level 3 and 4 designations are reviewed at least every six months.

The reasons cited for the Level 4 states are crime and kidnapping. Major tourist hubs including Mexico City and the Quintana Roo coast around Cancún sit at lower advisory tiers with no blanket statewide "don't travel" label. A separate February 2026 U.S. Mission Mexico security alert briefly imposed shelter-in-place guidance in several areas, though later updates lifted some of those restrictions.

Who the warning reaches

Tourists, expats and remote workers passing through or relocating to the six listed states face the sharpest exposure. The State Department tells U.S. citizens to follow the same movement rules as U.S. government employees in Mexico, which include avoiding certain nighttime intercity drives and skipping street-hailed taxis in favor of regulated taxi stands or apps like Uber or Cabify.

Emergency services can be limited or unavailable in remote and rural areas, the advisory said. That caveat hits long-stay nomads in smaller towns harder than visitors based in Mexico City, Guadalajara or the Riviera Maya, where consular and medical infrastructure is denser.

Steps before crossing the border

The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is free and sends security, health, weather and advisory alerts tied to a registered location. The U.S. Embassy relaunched the STEP platform on Sept. 16, 2024 and prior users may need to re-enroll at step.state.gov to keep receiving alerts.

Entry requirements on the advisory page:

• Air travelers need a passport book.
• Land travelers need a passport book or card plus an FMM entry permit, available online or at an INM office.
• U.S.-registered vehicles going beyond the border zone need a temporary vehicle import permit with a refundable deposit through Banjercito.

Check the state-by-state breakdown before booking and track embassy alerts for fast-changing local conditions. More nomad news covers ongoing Mexico security updates.

Read our full Mexico guide for the complete picture.