Malawi Travel Risk Level

Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution

Malawi faces a moderate risk from civil unrest and violent crime, with the US State Department issuing a Level 2 advisory. Exercise increased caution to Malawi due to crime and unrest.

View the ISO 31030-aligned Risk Report → View on Live Map → Speak to an Advisor →

This free profile draws on the same multi-government sourcing and ISO 31030 standard as the enterprise travel-risk platforms others pay for. When a trip needs operational support — 24/7 assistance, evacuation or traveller tracking — see how the free map compares and where Sicuro's paid services step up.

Government travel advisories

The headline risk level reflects the US State Department and UK FCDO advisories. France Diplomatie and Germany's Auswärtiges Amt apply more conservative criteria and are shown below for additional context.

US State Department

Level 2 · whole-country level

Exercise increased caution to Malawi due to crime and unrest. Crime Violent crime such as theft, burglary, armed robbery, and assault is common. The capabilities of the Malawi Police Service are growing, but its resources and ability to deter and investigate crimes are limited. They also struggle to assist victims and apprehend criminals. Unrest Demonstrations may occur more often because of political issues and events like elections. Tear gas is often used at these protests, and roads might be blocked.

View full US advisory →

UK FCDO

See our travel advice before travelling · whole-country level

Before you travel No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to: see general advice for women travellers read our guide on disability and travel abroad see general advice for LGBT+ travellers read about safety for solo and independent travel see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad Travel insurance If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance . Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency. About FCDO travel advice The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice . Get travel advice updates Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated. Follow FCDO : travel advice on X travel advice on Facebook Travel Aware on Instagram

View full UK advisory →

France Diplomatie

Heightened vigilance · whole-country level

France Diplomatie : vigilance renforcée sur l'ensemble du pays (jaune).

View full FR advisory →

Germany Auswärtiges Amt

Travel advice (Reisehinweise) · whole-country level

Auswärtiges Amt: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise (general travel and security advice); no travel warning in effect.

View full DE advisory →

Active disaster alerts (GDACS)

No active GDACS disaster events for Malawi at this time.

Health alerts (WHO)

No active WHO health alerts for Malawi at this time.

Global & regional health alerts (WHO)

Cross-border outbreaks and pandemic-scale alerts that affect travellers regardless of destination.

Global · Chikungunya

Chikungunya virus disease- Global situation

2025-10-03T11:25:30Z

Regional · Diphtheria

Diphtheria - African Region (AFRO)

2025-11-21T19:00:00Z

Global · Mpox

Broader transmission of mpox due to clade Ib MPXV – Global situation

2025-12-05T19:00:00Z

Global

Seasonal influenza - Global situation

2025-12-10T19:00:00Z

Global

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus - Global update

2025-12-24T05:38:07Z

Recent risk-level changes

19 June 2026 — Germany AA: Level — → Level 1
19 June 2026 — France Diplomatie: Level — → Level 2

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to travel to Malawi?

Malawi is currently assessed at Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) based on the US State Department and UK FCDO advisories. Exercise increased caution to Malawi due to crime and unrest.

What is the current US State Department travel advisory for Malawi?

The US State Department currently rates Malawi at Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution — for the country as a whole. Exercise increased caution to Malawi due to crime and unrest.

What is the current UK FCDO advice for Malawi?

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office currently advises: "See our travel advice before travelling" for Malawi as a whole. Before you travel No travel can be guaranteed safe.

What is the current France Diplomatie advice for Malawi?

France Diplomatie currently advises "Heightened vigilance" for Malawi as a whole. France Diplomatie: vigilance renforcée sur l'ensemble du pays (jaune).

What is the current Germany Auswärtiges Amt advice for Malawi?

Germany's Auswärtiges Amt currently advises "Travel advice (Reisehinweise)" for Malawi as a whole. Auswärtiges Amt: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise (general travel and security advice); no travel warning in effect.