Western Sahara and Berm areas face terrorism, unexploded landmines, heavy military presence and extremely limited consular support.

Four official advisories currently say to avoid all travel to parts of Morocco-related territory, mainly Western Sahara, the Berm area, and the Algeria border. Other advisories call for heightened caution in mainland Morocco; status checked May 14, 2026, for an article dated May 15, 2026.

What Is Being Advised

Avoid all travel to the strictest-risk areas named by official advisories: areas near the Berm in Western Sahara, areas south and east of the Berm, and the area within 20 km of Morocco's border with Algeria.

Avoid non-essential travel to Western Sahara outside those avoid-all-travel zones. Official advisories cite terrorism, unexploded landmines, extremely limited consular support, and advice against tourist or non-urgent travel.

Use heightened caution elsewhere in Morocco. Current advisories cite terrorism, ordinary crime, transport risks, protests in Jerada, security concerns in Casablanca, Guelmin, the Rif mountain region, and wider Morocco. Irish travelers entering Morocco by air should use a passport book. A passport card can lead to detention airside.

If your trip depends on overland movement near borders, Western Sahara, or the Berm, check the latest official notice before booking or crossing. The official inputs support avoiding, postponing, monitoring, and following local instructions. They leave route-safety comparisons unresolved.

Where exactly this applies

Western Sahara: several advisories place all or parts of Western Sahara above ordinary travel advice.
Berm area: New Zealand says not to travel within 30 km north and west of the Berm and to all areas south and east of the Berm because of unexploded landmines.
Canada names areas within 30 km west of the militarized Berm zone, between the Berm and neighboring countries on the eastern and southern sides.
Algeria border: Canada says to avoid all travel within 20 km of the Algeria border because of increased military presence, an unstable security situation, and difficulty identifying the exact border location.
Dakhla and Laayoune: Italy marks these areas for above-baseline caution and advises avoiding non-essential travel, postponing, or reassessing planned trips.
Casablanca, Guelmin, Jerada, and the Rif mountain region: Italy marks these for heightened caution or affected-area avoidance depending on the risk named in its notice.

Organizations issuing warnings

Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland
Global Affairs Canada
Ministere de l'Europe et des Affaires etrangeres, France
Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale, Italy
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand

Western Sahara, The Berm, And Algeria Border

Canada updated its Morocco advisory on May 4, 2026 and checked it on May 14, 2026. It says to avoid all travel within 30 km west of the militarized Berm zone and between the Berm and neighboring countries on the eastern and southern sides because of heavy military presence and an unstable, unpredictable security situation (Canada).

Canada also says to avoid all travel within 20 km of the Algeria border because of increased military presence, an unstable security situation, and the difficulty of finding the border's exact location (Canada). For overland travelers, the border-location warning is operational: the risk zone may be hard to identify on the ground.

New Zealand, updated January 6, 2026 and checked May 14, 2026, says not to travel within 30 km north and west of the Berm and to all areas south and east of the Berm because of unexploded landmines. It also tells travelers to use increased caution in Morocco and in Western Sahara areas beyond that strict do-not-travel scope (New Zealand).

Italy's Viaggiare Sicuri, updated April 19, 2026 and checked May 14, 2026, marks Western Sahara in Morocco for above-baseline caution tied to security risks and border restrictions. The practical traveler-facing advice for those Western Sahara entries is to avoid travel there (Italy).

France's Morocco page, updated April 16, 2026 and checked May 14, 2026, uses red zones formally advised against and yellow zones requiring reinforced vigilance. The available notes name terrorism and assaults, ordinary crime, transport risks, seismic risk, and mine risk. Zone detail requires reading the mapped red and yellow areas on the French page (France).

Western Sahara Outside The Strictest Zones

Canada says to avoid non-essential travel to Western Sahara because of terrorism and unexploded landmines, and says its ability to provide consular services and support in the territory is extremely limited (Canada).

Switzerland's FDFA update note from January 19, 2026 advises against tourist and non-urgent travel to Western Sahara (Switzerland). Italy also marks Dakhla and Laayoune for above-baseline caution, with practical advice to avoid non-essential travel, postpone travel, or reassess planned trips (Italy).

Mainland Morocco

For mainland Morocco, the current advice is heightened caution. Canada cites terrorism nationwide; Australia lists Morocco at a high-degree-of-caution level with a February 5, 2026 update; Japan keeps Morocco at Level 1, advising sufficient caution and monitoring reliable information after a January 23, 2026 update (Canada, Australia, Japan).

Italy names Casablanca and Guelmin for security risks, Jerada for protests, and the Rif mountain region for security risks. If your route includes one of those places, check the latest Italian notice and follow local instructions for the affected area or activity (Italy).

Irish travelers have one concrete document issue. Ireland's DFA, updated July 16, 2025 and checked May 14, 2026, warns that travelers trying to enter Morocco on a passport card may be detained airside for several days until the next direct flight back to Ireland (Ireland). Bring a passport book if that warning applies to you.

Source Notes

The strictest advice is geographic. Four issuing governments have avoid-all-travel or equivalent highest-level restrictions somewhere in Morocco-related territory; broader Morocco advice uses avoid-non-essential-travel or heightened-caution language.

Most named hard restrictions are tied to Western Sahara, the Berm, Algeria-border areas, mines, terrorism, military presence, unstable security conditions, and limited consular support. For city travel in mainland Morocco, the available advisories support heightened caution and route-specific checks.

Official source notes

Official source notes used for this article. Native government labels are preserved when available.

Global Affairs Canada (ca) (avoid all travel; native label: Avoid all travel; updated 2026-05-04; checked 2026-05-14): Morocco: Western Sahara border regions - Avoid all travel. Avoid all travel to the following areas due to the heavy military presence and the unstable and unpredictable security situation : within 30 km west of the militarized zone of the Berm between the Berm and neighbouring countries on the eastern and southern sides
Global Affairs Canada (ca) (avoid all travel; native label: Avoid all travel; updated 2026-05-04; checked 2026-05-14): Morocco: Border with Algeria - Avoid all travel. Avoid all travel to the area within 20 km of the border with Algeria due to the increased military presence, the unstable security situation and the difficulty of finding the border’s exact location.
Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (avoid all travel; native label: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-04-19; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks West Sahara in Marocco for above-baseline travel caution due to security risks. The official advice is to avoid travel there.
Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (avoid all travel; native label: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-04-19; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks West Sahara in Marocco for above-baseline travel caution due to border restrictions. The official advice is to avoid travel there.
Ministere de l'Europe et des Affaires etrangeres (fr) (avoid all travel; native label: Zones formellement déconseillées (rouge sur la carte); Zones de vigilance renforcée (jaune sur la carte); updated 2026-04-16; checked 2026-05-14): Maroc - Conseils aux voyageurs: security zones. France Diplomatie currently places parts of Maroc above ordinary baseline travel advice. Native severity labels are preserved as: Zones formellement déconseillées (rouge sur la carte); Zones de vigilance renforcée (jaune sur la carte). Named areas/routes/borders include: Terrorisme et agressions, Délinquance de droit commun, Risques liés aux transports, Risque sismique, Risques liés aux mines.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (nz) (avoid all travel; native label: Exercise increased caution; Do not travel; updated 2026-01-06; checked 2026-05-14): Morocco: Exercise increased caution. Exercise increased caution in Morocco and areas of Western Sahara not covered by the Do not travel advice below. Do not travel within 30 kilometres north and west of the Berm (a militarised boundary in Western Sahara) and all areas south and east of the Berm due to the threat posed by unexploded landmines (level 4 of 4).
Global Affairs Canada (ca) (avoid non-essential travel; native label: Avoid non-essential travel; updated 2026-05-04; checked 2026-05-14): Morocco: Western Sahara - Avoid non-essential travel. Avoid non-essential travel to Western Sahara due to the threat of terrorism and unexploded landmines. The Government of Canada's ability to provide consular services and support in this territory is extremely limited.
Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (avoid non-essential travel; native label: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-04-19; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Dakhla e Laayoune in Marocco for above-baseline travel caution due to security risks. The official advice is to avoid non-essential travel, postpone travel, or reassess planned trips.
Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (avoid non-essential travel; native label: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-04-19; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Marocco in Marocco for above-baseline travel caution due to border risk. The official advice is to avoid non-essential travel, postpone travel, or reassess planned trips.
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (ch) (avoid non-essential travel; native label: none — Von touristischen und anderen nicht dringenden Reisen in die Westsahara wird abgeraten; updated 2026-01-19; checked 2026-05-14): FDFA travel advice for Morocco. The FDFA advises against tourist and non-urgent travel to/in Westsahara. The current FDFA update note was published on 2026-01-19.
Global Affairs Canada (ca) (heightened caution; native label: Exercise a high degree of caution; updated 2026-05-04; checked 2026-05-14): Morocco - Exercise a high degree of caution. Exercise a high degree of caution in Morocco due to the threat of terrorism.
Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-04-19; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Casablanca in Marocco for above-baseline travel caution due to security risks. Travelers are told to avoid the affected area or activity and follow local instructions.
Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-04-19; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Guelmin in Marocco for above-baseline travel caution due to security risks. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-04-19; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Marocco in Marocco for above-baseline travel caution due to security risks. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-04-19; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Jerada in Marocco for above-baseline travel caution due to protests. Travelers are told to avoid the affected area or activity and follow local instructions.
Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-04-19; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Regione montuosa del Rif in Marocco for above-baseline travel caution due to security risks. Travelers are told to avoid the affected area or activity and follow local instructions.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (au) (heightened caution; native label: Exercise a high degree of caution; updated 2026-02-05; checked 2026-05-14): Smartraveller advisory for Morocco: Exercise a high degree of caution. Australia Smartraveller lists Morocco at "Exercise a high degree of caution" on its current destinations index. The destination entry was updated on 2026-02-05.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (jp) (heightened caution; native label: レベル1：十分注意してください。; updated 2026-01-23; checked 2026-05-14): Morocco: レベル1：十分注意してください。. Japan MOFA keeps Morocco nationwide at レベル1：十分注意してください。; travelers should exercise a high degree of caution. The update notes cite ongoing security risks and advise travelers to monitor reliable information and take sufficient safety measures.
Department of Foreign Affairs (ie) (heightened caution; native label: High Degree of Caution; updated 2025-07-16; checked 2026-05-14): Ireland DFA: High caution - Morocco. Ireland DFA currently rates Morocco as High Degree of Caution. If you seek to enter Morocco on a passport card, you may be detained airside in the airport for several days until the next direct flight back to Ireland.