Haiti: U.S. Embassy Alerts of Continuous Fighting in Santo and Croix-des-Bouquets

HAITI — On October 19 the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince reported continuous heavy fighting between gangs and security forces in the vicinity of Santo and Croix-des-Bouquets, with roads possibly blocked or impassable, and advised U.S. citizens to exercise caution and avoid the area.

The U.S. State Department maintains its Haiti advisory at Level 4, Do Not Travel, last updated July 10. The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises against all travel to Haiti, last updated December 10, 2025.

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Global Affairs Canada likewise advise do not travel and avoid all travel, respectively.

Haiti remains under a national state of emergency in force since March 2024. Armed groups control large portions of the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, and clashes with security forces continue to disrupt movement in the capital’s eastern approaches.

Advisory Levels

• U.S. State Department: Level 4, Do Not Travel, due to the risk of crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest, and limited health care. Updated July 10, with no change to the level; summary revised for embassy operations. State of emergency remains in effect. U.S. government employees face non-essential travel restrictions away from the embassy. U.S. commercial flights are not operating to or from Port-au-Prince under a Federal Aviation Administration Notice to Air Missions.

• UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Advises against all travel to Haiti due to the volatile security situation. Updated December 10, 2025. No British consular officials are present in Haiti; assistance is available through the mission in the Dominican Republic.

• Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Do not travel overall due to the dangerous security situation, threat of violent crime including kidnapping, and severe shortages of basic necessities. Updated July 6, still current as of October 20. State of emergency applies in the departments of Ouest, Artibonite, and Centre. Air, land, and sea borders with the Dominican Republic are closed. No Australian embassy in Haiti; the Canadian Embassy provides consular assistance under a sharing agreement.

• Global Affairs Canada: Avoid all travel due to the threat posed by kidnappings, gang violence, and the potential for civil unrest. Last updated June 24. State of emergency in effect in Ouest, Artibonite, and Centre. Land and sea borders with the Dominican Republic remain closed to travelers; the air border reopened May 30.

• Change History: The U.S. Level 4 has held through successive updates, including the July 10 renewal that adjusted the summary without altering the level. Other governments have maintained their highest or near-highest categories across 2025-2026.

• Regional Variations: Australia and Canada note elevated conditions in Ouest (including Port-au-Prince and Croix-des-Bouquets), Artibonite, and Centre. The U.S. advisory is countrywide. The FCDO advice applies to the whole country with no regional carve-outs published.

This matches the TravelGov notice issued the same day. The description is consistent with the pattern of localized clashes between armed groups and Haitian security forces that the four governments have cited for months.

Kidnapping remains a core risk cited by every advisory. The U.S. advisory states that U.S. citizens have been victims and that kidnappers may use sophisticated planning or opportunistic methods.

Armed robbery, carjacking, and sexual assault are also listed as common. Australia identifies specific hotspots that include Croix-des-Bouquets, Santo, Tabarre, Bel Air, Cité Soleil, and Martissant.

Local security forces have limited capacity to respond outside protected compounds. The U.S. government notes an extremely limited ability to provide emergency services to its citizens because of security-related travel restrictions on its own personnel. Australia and Canada describe armed groups controlling most of Port-au-Prince and frequent clashes.

Regional Breakdown

• Port-au-Prince metropolitan area and Ouest Department (including Santo, Croix-des-Bouquets, Tabarre, Delmas, Cité Soleil, Bel Air, Martissant, and Pétion-Ville): Highest concentration of reported clashes and the location of the October 19 fighting. All four governments treat this zone as part of the countrywide highest advisory category. Australia and Canada specifically name several of these communes as hotspots.

• Artibonite Department: Covered by the state of emergency cited by Australia and Canada. Frequent clashes reported; main highways subject to roadblocks.

• Centre Department: Also under the state of emergency noted by Australia and Canada. Limited government control in parts of the department.

• Cap-Haïtien and northern areas: Airports operational for international flights; security conditions more stable than the capital but still inside the countrywide advisories. Canada identifies Cap-Haïtien as a preferred departure point when movement is possible.

• Border areas with the Dominican Republic (Malpasse, Ouanaminthe): Land and sea crossings closed. Canada notes criminal activity and armed groups operating near the crossings.

Where governments publish regional notes, they align on elevated risk in the capital region and the three departments under the state of emergency. No government has published a lower advisory for any province.

Entry Requirements

• Visa: Most nationalities, including U.S., UK, Australian, and Canadian passport holders, do not require a visa for stays up to 90 days. A small list of nationalities must obtain a visa in advance. Passport must be valid for at least six months beyond arrival. Information drawn from Haitian embassy publications and consistent with FCDO entry notes; no dated Timatic extract newer than 30 days was located in official channels by October 20.

• Arrival fee: A tourist entry fee of 10 U.S. dollars is payable on arrival according to Haitian embassy sources.

• Yellow fever: Certificate required if arriving from a country with risk of transmission, per FCDO and CDC notes.

• Dual nationality: Countries that do not recognize dual nationality may restrict departure; travelers holding both Haitian and another nationality should confirm with the relevant embassy.

Entry rules have not changed with the latest security alert. The practical barrier remains the security situation rather than documentary requirements.

Emergency Resources

• U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince: Tabarre 41, Route de Tabarre. Emergency and after-hours: +509-2229-8000. Email: acspap@state.gov. Operational for emergency services with severe movement restrictions on staff. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program at step.state.gov.

• UK: No consular officials in Haiti. Assistance through the British Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. FCDO emergency number in London: 020 7008 5000.

• Australia: No embassy in Haiti. Consular assistance via the Canadian Embassy in Port-au-Prince under the Canada-Australia sharing agreement. Australian High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago handles passport services. Smartraveller registration available.

• Canada: Embassy of Canada to Haiti, Port-au-Prince. Global Affairs Canada 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre: +1 613-996-8885. Registration of Canadians Abroad service.

• Local emergency numbers: Ambulance 116 (per FCDO); police and fire response capacity is limited in areas of active fighting.

• International-standard hospitals: Capacity is constrained nationwide; the U.S. advisory notes limited trained staff and cash-up-front requirements. Medical evacuation insurance is recommended by all four governments where coverage is available.

Embassy operational status was verified against the October 19 alert and prior notices; the U.S. compound remains the listed contact point while staff movement is restricted.

Official Statements

• U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince, October 19, 2026: “There are reports of continuous heavy fighting between gangs and security forces in the vicinity of Santo, Croix-des-Bouquets. Roads may be blocked or impassable. U.S. citizens should exercise caution and avoid the area.”