
At a Glance
- The U.S. State Department issued guidance urging U.S. citizens to leave the Middle East.
- Individuals in the Middle East should continue to monitor government updates and register their presence at their respective consular post.
- Contact Fragomen’s crisis response team at [email protected] or your Fragomen contact with questions.
- Access Fragomen’s microsite for more information.
The situation
The U.S. State Department is urging U.S. citizens to leave the following jurisdictions in the Middle East: Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Employers are encouraged to immediately review their relocation, evacuation, shelter-in-place and remote work plans.
Impact
- Travelers and workers are encouraged to register with the consulates of their country of citizenship, including consulates of any second citizenship they may hold.
- Employees are advised to check with their internal travel desk/global mobility team/human resources for company instructions or guidance.
- Fragomen’s Middle East and global teams are monitoring airspace changes and airline advisories. For the latest updates, please check our crisis microsite and airline websites.
- Our microsite includes links to government registration portals. U.S. citizens should register directly with the State Department.
- We will continue updating the microsite as new information becomes available and will work closely with clients to provide support where appropriate.
Looking ahead
The situation is fluid and changing quickly. Access our microsite for more updates, including government websites to register your presence.
Fragomen is actively monitoring developments and will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves. We are available to discuss tailored scenario planning based on your workforce footprint.
Airspace closures and government operations, including consular post operations, are continuing to be disrupted – we are monitoring the situation here. This alert is provided for informational purposes only. Please contact your Fragomen immigration professional or click here to reach us if you have any questions.
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