OSAC Country Security Report: What It Is & How to Access It in 2024

Table of Contents#

1. What Is the OSAC Country Security Report?
2. Key Sections Included in Every OSAC Country Security Report
3. Who Benefits Most from OSAC Country Security Reports?
4. Step-by-Step Access Procedures for OSAC Country Security Reports
5. Tips for Getting the Most Value Out of OSAC Reports
6. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
7. Final Thoughts
8. References

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What Is the OSAC Country Security Report?#

OSAC is a public-private partnership created in 1985 by U.S. Secretary of State George P. Shultz, originally established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) to share security risk intelligence between the U.S. government and private-sector organizations operating internationally. In July 2024, OSAC’s FACA charter was officially sunset and the organization transitioned to a true public-private partnership under the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service.

The Country Security Report is OSAC’s flagship publication, produced for countries and sub-national territories worldwide, with ad-hoc updates posted within 24-48 hours of major security events (e.g., coups, natural disasters, terrorist attacks). Reports are written by regional security analysts, U.S. embassy staff, and local law enforcement liaisons, making them far more granular and actionable than generic travel advice sites.

Access to OSAC reports is tied to OSAC membership:

• Public Country Security Reports: Available to all visitors on OSAC.gov, these reports provide general security overviews and travel advisory information for each country
• Full Country Security Reports: Available only to approved OSAC members (employees of U.S.-incorporated organizations with overseas operations), these reports contain detailed operational intelligence, granular threat assessments, and region-specific security guidance

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Key Sections Included in Every OSAC Country Security Report#

Every CSR follows a standardized structure to make it easy for users to find relevant information quickly:

1. Country Basic Profile: High-level overview of government structure, political stability, population, and locations of U.S. diplomatic missions
2. Threat Rating Scale: Threat assessments using LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH, and CRITICAL designations for core risk categories including terrorism, violent crime, civil unrest, and political violence
3. Crime Overview: Details on common criminal activity (pickpocketing, scams, armed robbery, gender-based violence), high-risk areas to avoid, seasonal crime spikes (e.g., during holiday or festival seasons), and common tactics used by local criminals
4. Civil Unrest Guidance: Recent protest trends, common trigger events (elections, policy changes, labor strikes), demonstration hotspots, police response tactics, and step-by-step advice for what to do if caught in a public disturbance
5. Terrorism Risk Assessment: Active extremist groups operating in the country, historical attack patterns, common target locations (tourist sites, government buildings, religious venues), and current threat levels
6. Transportation & Infrastructure Safety: Road condition ratings, public transit safety risks, taxi scam warnings, airport security protocols, telecom and power grid reliability, and maritime port safety ratings
7. Health & Environmental Risks: Endemic disease warnings, healthcare access and quality ratings, required/recommended vaccinations, natural disaster risks (hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires), and food/water safety guidance
8. Local Legal Guidance: Summary of laws that frequently catch international visitors off-guard, including drug penalties, photography restrictions, LGBTQ+ rights protections, visa overstay rules, and customs regulations
9. Emergency Response Resources: Local emergency contact numbers, U.S. embassy/consulate after-hours contact information, vetted local medical evacuation providers, and approved private security firm contacts

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Who Benefits Most from OSAC Country Security Reports?#

OSAC CSRs are designed for employees of U.S.-incorporated organizations with overseas operations, including:

• Corporate security teams: Security directors assessing operational risk for offices, supply chains, and personnel in international markets
• Global HR and mobility teams: HR professionals relocating staff, managing expatriate assignments, and coordinating duty-of-care programs
• Nonprofit and NGO security coordinators: Humanitarian organizations deploying teams to high-risk zones for disaster response or community development projects
• Academic institutions: University administrators managing international campus operations, faculty research abroad, and institutional travel programs
• Faith-based organizations: Religious institutions with overseas missions, humanitarian projects, or international community partnerships

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Step-by-Step Access Procedures for OSAC Country Security Reports#

Option 1: Public Reports (No Membership Required)#

General Country Security Report information is freely available on OSAC.gov:

1. Navigate to the official OSAC website at osac.gov
2. Click Country Security Reports on the homepage or navigate to the Country Security Reports search page
3. Use the search filters or browse by country to find the report you need
4. Click on the country name to view the publicly available report summary and travel advisory information

Option 2: Full OSAC Membership (U.S.-Incorporated Organizations Only)#

Full Country Security Reports and additional OSAC resources are available to approved OSAC members. Membership is free and open to employees of U.S.-owned or incorporated organizations with operations outside U.S. borders:

1. Organization approval first: Your organization’s senior-most official with international security responsibilities must submit an organization application at osac.gov/About/JoinUs. The organization must be U.S.-owned and incorporated with physical headquarters inside U.S. borders and have ongoing operations outside the United States. This process can take several weeks.
2. Individual membership: Once your organization is approved, employees with security responsibilities for overseas operations can register using their work email address at osac.gov/About/JoinUs. Personal email addresses are not permitted.
3. Government and military employees: U.S. federal, state, and local government and military employees are automatically approved for Full Access membership when applying with a .gov or .mil email address.
4. Access your reports: Once approved, log in to your OSAC account to access full Country Security Reports, join Country Chapters and Common Interest Committees, request 1:1 consultations with OSAC analysts, and receive real-time security alerts.

All OSAC membership, products, events, and resources are completely free.

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Tips for Getting the Most Value Out of OSAC Reports#

1. Cross-reference with U.S. State Department Travel Advisories: Pair OSAC reports with official State Department Travel Advisories for the most complete picture of country-level risk. Enroll traveling employees in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for real-time alerts.
2. Integrate reports into your duty-of-care program: Use OSAC data to build or update your organization’s travel risk management policies, pre-travel briefings, and emergency response protocols.
3. Check for updates before deployments: OSAC posts ad-hoc updates to reports within 24-48 hours of major security events. Check the country page before any significant deployment for the latest intelligence.
4. Leverage OSAC analyst consultations: OSAC members can request 1:1 consultations with region-specialized analysts who can assist with country-specific security assessments and research.
5. Join relevant Country Chapters and Common Interest Committees: These OSAC membership groups provide peer networking, benchmarking, and real-time information exchange with other security professionals operating in the same regions.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)#

Q: Who is eligible to access OSAC Country Security Reports?#

A: Public Country Security Report summaries are available to all visitors on OSAC.gov. Full reports and additional OSAC resources are available to employees of U.S.-owned or incorporated organizations with operations outside U.S. borders. OSAC does not serve individual private travelers who are not affiliated with a qualifying U.S. organization.

Q: How often are OSAC reports updated?#

A: Formal full updates are published annually for every country. Ad-hoc updates are posted within 24-48 hours of any major security event that impacts risk levels in a country.

Q: Can I share OSAC reports with others?#

A: OSAC content that does not require a login may be shared with proper attribution to OSAC. Materials requiring an OSAC.gov login are reserved for OSAC members only and should not be downloaded or distributed outside your organization without OSAC’s authorization.

Q: Do OSAC reports cover sub-national regions?#

A: Yes. Most reports break down risk ratings by city, region, and even specific neighborhoods, particularly for high-risk countries with variable safety levels across different areas.

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Final Thoughts#

OSAC Country Security Reports are one of the most reliable, unbiased sources of international safety intelligence available to U.S. organizations operating abroad. Whether you’re relocating employees for a long-term assignment, deploying a team to a high-risk humanitarian zone, or assessing operational risk in a new market, these reports provide the data your organization needs to make informed safety decisions and prepare for scenarios your team may face overseas. If your organization qualifies, joining OSAC is free and gives you access to the full depth of country-level security intelligence.

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References#

1. U.S. Department of State Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC). (n.d.). About OSAC. Retrieved from https://www.osac.gov/About/AboutUs
2. U.S. Department of State Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC). (n.d.). Country Security Reports. Retrieved from https://www.osac.gov/Content/Search?contentTypes=Report&subContentTypes=Country%20Security%20Report
3. U.S. Department of State Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC). (n.d.). Join OSAC. Retrieved from https://www.osac.gov/About/JoinUs