Countries where sex & dating is banned or restricted (2026 list)

Out of the 148 countries covered by LawsTravels, 55 ban and 48 require caution on sex & dating. Here is the full list, region by region.

Banned or serious risk· 55

Europe · 1

🇷🇺 Russia

Middle East & Caucasus · 6

🇬🇪 Georgia 🇰🇼 Kuwait 🇴🇲 Oman 🇶🇦 Qatar 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia 🇦🇪 UAE (Dubai)

North Africa · 7

🇩🇿 Algeria 🇪🇬 Egypt 🇱🇾 Libya 🇲🇷 Mauritania 🇲🇦 Morocco 🇸🇩 Sudan 🇹🇳 Tunisia

Sub-Saharan Africa · 28

🇧🇫 Burkina Faso 🇧🇮 Burundi 🇨🇲 Cameroon 🇹🇩 Chad 🇩🇯 Djibouti 🇨🇩 DR Congo 🇪🇷 Eritrea 🇸🇿 Eswatini 🇪🇹 Ethiopia 🇬🇲 Gambia 🇬🇭 Ghana 🇬🇳 Guinea 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast 🇰🇪 Kenya 🇱🇷 Liberia 🇲🇼 Malawi 🇲🇱 Mali 🇳🇪 Niger 🇳🇬 Nigeria 🇸🇳 Senegal 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone 🇸🇴 Somalia 🇸🇸 South Sudan 🇹🇿 Tanzania 🇹🇬 Togo 🇺🇬 Uganda 🇿🇲 Zambia 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

South-East Asia · 5

🇧🇳 Brunei 🇮🇩 Indonesia (Bali) 🇱🇦 Laos 🇲🇾 Malaysia 🇲🇲 Myanmar

South & Central Asia · 5

🇧🇩 Bangladesh 🇲🇻 Maldives 🇵🇰 Pakistan 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan

The Americas · 2

🇬🇾 Guyana 🇯🇲 Jamaica

Oceania · 1

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

Allowed, with limits· 48

Europe · 12

🇦🇱 Albania 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 🇭🇺 Hungary 🇱🇻 Latvia 🇱🇹 Lithuania 🇲🇰 North Macedonia 🇵🇱 Poland 🇷🇴 Romania 🇷🇸 Serbia 🇸🇰 Slovakia 🇺🇦 Ukraine

Middle East & Caucasus · 5

🇦🇲 Armenia 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan 🇧🇭 Bahrain 🇯🇴 Jordan 🇹🇷 Turkey

Sub-Saharan Africa · 8

🇧🇯 Benin 🇬🇦 Gabon 🇱🇸 Lesotho 🇲🇬 Madagascar 🇲🇺 Mauritius 🇳🇦 Namibia 🇨🇬 Republic of Congo 🇷🇼 Rwanda

East Asia · 6

🇨🇳 China 🇭🇰 Hong Kong 🇯🇵 Japan 🇲🇴 Macao 🇲🇳 Mongolia 🇰🇷 South Korea

South-East Asia · 5

🇰🇭 Cambodia 🇵🇭 Philippines 🇸🇬 Singapore 🇹🇭 Thailand 🇻🇳 Vietnam

South & Central Asia · 2

🇮🇳 India 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

The Americas · 10

🇧🇸 Bahamas 🇧🇴 Bolivia 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic 🇬🇹 Guatemala 🇵🇦 Panama 🇵🇾 Paraguay 🇵🇪 Peru 🇸🇷 Suriname 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago 🇻🇪 Venezuela

Relaxed· 45

Europe · 22

🇦🇹 Austria 🇧🇪 Belgium 🇭🇷 Croatia 🇨🇿 Czechia 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇪🇪 Estonia 🇫🇮 Finland 🇫🇷 France 🇩🇪 Germany 🇬🇷 Greece 🇮🇸 Iceland 🇮🇪 Ireland 🇮🇹 Italy 🇲🇪 Montenegro 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇮 Slovenia 🇪🇸 Spain 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇨🇭 Switzerland 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Middle East & Caucasus · 1

🇮🇱 Israel

Sub-Saharan Africa · 6

🇦🇴 Angola 🇧🇼 Botswana 🇨🇻 Cape Verde 🇲🇿 Mozambique 🇸🇨 Seychelles 🇿🇦 South Africa

East Asia · 1

🇹🇼 Taiwan

South & Central Asia · 1

🇳🇵 Nepal

The Americas · 11

🇦🇷 Argentina 🇧🇷 Brazil 🇨🇦 Canada 🇨🇱 Chile 🇨🇴 Colombia 🇨🇷 Costa Rica 🇨🇺 Cuba 🇪🇨 Ecuador 🇲🇽 Mexico 🇺🇸 United States 🇺🇾 Uruguay

Oceania · 3

🇦🇺 Australia 🇫🇯 Fiji 🇳🇿 New Zealand

The details are in the app

This page gives you the level. The app gives you the thresholds, the penalties, what to do at customs — for the country you are actually going to, offline.

See my destination

How it works, in general

⚖️ What the law actually covers

The age of consent is the first thing to check, and it varies from 13 to 21 depending on the country and sometimes the region.
Some countries criminalise sex outside marriage, which can affect an unmarried couple sharing a hotel room.
Same-sex relations remain a criminal offence in around 60 countries, with sentences up to life in a handful.
Public displays of affection — even holding hands or kissing — are punishable in several countries.

🧭 Practical protection

Dating apps are monitored or used for entrapment in countries where same-sex relations are criminalised.
Hotel registration sometimes requires proof of marriage — check before booking a shared room.
Carrying contraception is legal almost everywhere, but availability on site is not guaranteed.

Frequently asked questions

In which countries is sex & dating banned?

55 countries flag sex & dating as banned or a serious risk for travellers: Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Djibouti, DR Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Indonesia (Bali), Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, Laos, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, UAE (Dubai), Uganda, Uzbekistan, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Where is sex & dating allowed with limits?

48 countries allow it under conditions (age, place, quantity, permit): Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Dominican Republic, Gabon, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Lithuania, Macao, Madagascar….

How do I check the rules for my destination before I fly?

Open LawsTravels: pick your destination, the topic sex & dating shows the level, the thresholds and the penalties, offline. Your home country is free.

By region

Europe35 Middle East & Caucasus12 North Africa7 Sub-Saharan Africa42 East Asia7 South-East Asia10 South & Central Asia8 The Americas23 Oceania4

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These pages indicate a level of risk only. They summarise publicly available legal information and are not legal advice. Laws change and enforcement varies — always confirm with the embassy or consulate of your destination.