🇪🇷 Is Eritrea safe to visit?
Daily safety index from official government advisories, plus the consular map of Eritrea: 9 diplomatic missions from 9 countries, local emergency numbers and language essentials.
Updated Nov 14, 2026 · Composite index recalculated daily from official government advisories.
What official sources say
Levels are normalized to Telcomia's 1–4 scale. Always read the full official advisory at the source.
What to know before traveling to Eritrea
Drawn from the linked official advisories — always check the full text at the source.
Trip essentials
- British Embassy in Asmara (66-68 Mariam Ghimbi Street) open Mon-Thu 8am-4:30pm; consular support is severely limited outside the capital
- Travel permits from the Eritrean government are required for diplomats to leave Asmara, limiting in-person consular assistance
- If a crisis occurs, be ready to arrange your own departure; stock food, water and medicine and monitor local media
- Eritrean authorities may not notify the British Embassy if a British national is detained or needs help
- Avoid travel to Eritrea; if you go, register with the Spanish Embassy in Khartoum (temporarily based in Cairo)
- Valid passport required with minimum 6 months validity; Spanish nationals must obtain a visa before entry
- Four visa types exist: tourism, business, official and diplomatic; must be issued on a valid passport
- Foreign credit cards not accepted anywhere in Eritrea; bank transfers from abroad are extremely difficult
Risk areas and situations
- Do not travel within 25km of any of Eritrea's land borders
- Avoid non-essential travel to the rest of Eritrea
- Tensions between Eritrea and Ethiopia are elevated; the situation could deteriorate rapidly with little warning
- In a crisis, freedom of movement within Eritrea and ability to exit the country could be severely restricted
- Border areas with Sudan, Ethiopia and Djibouti should be strictly avoided
- Unresolved military violence incidents have occurred inside Eritrean territory in recent years
- Ethiopia-Eritrea border remains closed; tensions were heightened by the Tigray conflict (2020-2022)
Local laws and customs
- Curfews or local movement restrictions may be imposed; compliance is required if authorities issue such orders
- Any trip outside the capital Asmara requires prior authorisation from local authorities
- Specific internal travel permits are mandatory for all movements within the country, including residents
Health
- In a crisis, maintain a personal stock of essential medicines as access to supplies may be cut off
- Follow health recommendations issued by local health authorities closely
Emergency numbers in Eritrea
Embassies and consulates in Eritrea
9 diplomatic missions from 9 countries, across 1 cities.
| Nationality | Missions | Cities |
|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇳 China | 1 | Asmara |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 1 | Asmara |
| 🇫🇷 France | 1 | Asmara |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 1 | Asmara |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | 1 | Asmara |
| 🇷🇺 Russia | 1 | Asmara |
| 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 1 | Asmara |
| 🇺🇸 United States | 1 | Asmara |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1 | Asmara |
The full directory — addresses, phone numbers and locations on the map — is available in the Telcomia app.
Local language
The main local language in Eritrea is English. The Telcomia app includes 16 emergency phrases in English, with audio, ready to play when you need them.
See the 16 emergency phrases in EnglishTraveling to Eritrea?
Stay connected from the moment you land: prepaid eSIM data plans for Eritrea, delivered instantly, with the Telcomia safety layer included.
Frequently asked questions
Is Eritrea safe to visit right now?
The Telcomia Safety Index for Eritrea is 2.75/4 (High risk, level 3 of 4) as of Nov 14, 2026. It is a composite of official advisories from Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States, recalculated daily.
What is the emergency number in Eritrea?
The general emergency number in Eritrea is 113. Save it before you travel — with a Telcomia eSIM you can call for help without hunting for Wi-Fi.
How many embassies are there in Eritrea?
Telcomia tracks 9 diplomatic missions from 9 countries in Eritrea, across 1 cities. The full directory with addresses and phone numbers is in the Telcomia app.
Informational only
This page is general information, not a substitute for official government travel advice. Conditions can change quickly — always check your own government's latest advisory before and during your trip.
Advisory levels summarize official sources: Spain's MAEC, the UK FCDO (contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0) and the U.S. Department of State (public domain). Follow the links above for the full official text.