Countries Australians Cannot Freely Visit as Tourists
Australians enjoy one of the world’s strongest passports, with access to most countries either visa-free or with straightforward visa arrangements. However, there are a small number of destinations where travel is either effectively prohibited, heavily restricted, or strongly discouraged by the Australian Government. List of countries with “Do Not Travel” advise as of 09/09/2026
| Destination | Overall Advice Level | Updated |
| Kuwait | Do not travel | 8-Sep-26 |
| Palestine | Do not travel | 2-Sep-26 |
| Iran | Do not travel | 2-Sep-26 |
| Iraq | Do not travel | 2-Sep-26 |
| Bahrain | Do not travel | 2-Sep-26 |
| Lebanon | Do not travel | 2-Sep-26 |
| Venezuela | Do not travel | 2-Sep-26 |
| Yemen | Do not travel | 2-Sep-26 |
| Syria | Do not travel | 2-Sep-26 |
| Libya | Do not travel | 13-Aug-26 |
| Ukraine | Do not travel | 31-Jul-26 |
| Russia | Do not travel | 13-Jul-26 |
| Belarus | Do not travel | 9-Jul-26 |
| Haiti | Do not travel | 6-Jul-26 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Do not travel | 6-Jul-26 |
| Afghanistan | Do not travel | 29-Jun-26 |
| Niger | Do not travel | 24-Jun-26 |
| Somalia | Do not travel | 18-Jun-26 |
| Mali | Do not travel | 11-Jun-26 |
| Central African Republic | Do not travel | 3-Jun-26 |
| South Sudan | Do not travel | 22-May-26 |
| Sudan | Do not travel | 1-May-26 |
| Myanmar | Do not travel | 7-Apr-26 |
| North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) | Do not travel | 31-Mar-26 |
| Burkina Faso | Do not travel | 20-Jan-26 |
| Chad | Do not travel | 10-Nov-25 |
| Source | https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/ |
Why Restrictions Exist
Countries may restrict Australian tourists for several reasons:
Security concerns and armed conflict
Political tensions
Strict border control policies
Limited diplomatic relations
Public health or emergency measures
Concerns about foreign influence or espionage
In other cases, the Australian Government may discourage travel because it cannot provide adequate consular assistance if something goes wrong.
