Yemen’s highland cities and coastal stretches reveal deep Arabic roots and striking geographic diversity amid ongoing change.
From Sana’a’s mountain setting to the Red and Arabian Sea coasts, Yemen’s regions offer distinct cultural and geographic profiles. Arabic is central to daily interactions, and planning depends on current, reliable sources due to fluid conditions and varying regional dynamics.
Visa and residency reference data is available for Business Visitor, Visitor, Family Visit, and 8 more.
eVisa portal business route for applicants who document businessman status, host approvals, and round-trip tickets.
Embassy visa route for temporary visits for tourism, business, work, or study, issued after immigration-authority approval.
eVisa portal special route for foreigners without a Yemeni embassy or consulate in their country or who need expedited arrival through a specified port.
eVisa portal visit route issued through Yemeni embassies and consulates after Immigration, Passports and Nationality Authority approval, requiring a host request, passport copy, health certificate, and departure pledge.
eVisa portal family-visit route for relatives, requiring a host request, proof of kinship, round-trip tickets, and a pledge to leave after the authorized period.
Legal residence category for aliens who do not qualify for special or ordinary residence, granted as renewable one-year residence permits.
Tourist-group eVisa route for foreign tourist groups brought through accredited tourism agencies, requiring round-trip tickets and a pledge not to engage in activity during the tourism period.
eVisa portal transit route for foreigners continuing travel through Yemeni territory to another country.
eVisa portal study-purpose visit route requiring approval from the university, institute, or school and a ministry letter from the education authority.
eVisa portal work route requiring an employment contract and approval from the labor or civil-service authority, as applicable.
Legal residence category that may be granted for three renewable years for reasons connected with the nature of the foreigner's work, including oil-sector workers and company or bank managers.
3 source-backed travel advisories are available for Yemen.
Avoid all travel
Avoid all travel to Yemen, including the Island of Socotra, due to ongoing tensions in the region, armed conflict, terrorist attacks, and kidnapping. If you’re in Yemen, you should leave the country if it’s safe to do so. Sign up with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service to receive important additional information, specific to your location, about the ongoing situation and any available departure options.
FCDO advises against all travel
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). FCDO advises against all travel to Yemen. FCDO advises against all travel to the whole of the Yemen due to the unpredictable security conditions. If you’re in Yemen, you should leave immediately. See Safety and security for more information.
Do not travel
Do not travel in Yemen due to risk of terrorism, unrest, crime, health risks, kidnapping, and landmines. U.S. citizens should not travel to Yemen for any reason. The U.S. Embassy in Sana’a suspended its operations in February 2015. The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency or routine consular services to U.S. citizens in Yemen. Terrorism The Department of State has re-designated Ansarallah, commonly referred to as the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Other terrorist groups also plan and carry out attacks in Yemen.
These include Al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Islamic State affiliates; Terrorists may attack with little or no warning and may target:
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Unrest A civil war continues in Yemen. Although violence has decreased since the April 2022 truce, Yemen still faces instability. Fighting continues, especially near the front lines in central Yemen.
This makes it hard to get electricity, clean water, and medical care. Humanitarian groups face obstacles in delivering food, medicine, and water. Crime Violent and organized crime is common in Yemen. Local law enforcement may not be able or willing to respond to serious crimes. Health Health services in Yemen are poor. There is a re-emergence of diseases like cholera, polio, and measles. They are spreading in Houthi-controlled areas. Medicine and medical supplies are hard to find. Adequate medical treatment for routine and emergency procedures is often not available.
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