Travel advisories will be issued for every country in the world, offering “advice to U.S. citizens by following a four-level classification system and providing clear actions to take,” said Carl Risch, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Consular Affairs, at a public briefing on Friday.

For countries set at level one, travelers are encouraged to “exercise normal precautions.” Level two translates to “exercise increased caution,” while level three indicates Americans should “reconsider travel.” Finally, level four means “do not travel.” 

It’s worth nothing that citizens will not be barred from traveling to countries deemed a level four (like they are with North Korea). Risch also stated that the levels will be “strictly based on safety and security conditions, and not on political considerations.” The specific factors the State Department will focus on include crime, terrorism, civil unrest, health, natural disaster, and time-limited events such as elections. In addition, warning levels could vary within a single country, depending on the region.

Overall, the State Department hopes to improve “communications with U.S. citizen travelers to provide clear, timely, and reliable safety and security information worldwide,” said Risch. “We wanted it to be an easier to understand system.” 

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