Amman - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Driving, it's awful and dangerous. - Aug 2023
I got harassed daily every time I left my house (I am female). Our neighborhood was full of hordes of teenage boys attending (but never in class) a local school, and they made every morning miserable. They chased me down alleys, and I was routinely followed by men in cars. Our patio was broken into, and our friends’ cars had their windows smashed and items stolen from inside. People say Jordan is safe, and most of the time I did not feel threatened, but the harassment is real. - Aug 2023
Not really. - Jul 2023
Driving is a bit hectic (though not as bad as many other places) and sometimes aggravating, easy to get into a fender-bender. I've not felt unsafe anywhere. Luckily I've not been robbed, though recently a couple of embassy homes have had attempted robberies. I have dogs, that probably helps. - Mar 2023
It is very safe here. There are no security concerns besides just being careful in general. - Jul 2022
None. Jordan is extremely safe with a very low crime rate due to cultural and communal norms, and gun laws are restrictive. Comparatively, whenever I came back to the US, I felt like I had entered a war zone. - Oct 2021
Distracted drivers and people trying to turn left from the right lane are common and can be mitigated through defensive driving. Petty crime is almost non-existent and terrorism hasn't affected our day-to-day life in the last few years. - Apr 2021
We always felt safe. - Feb 2021
Always be careful, but nothing in particular that I can think of. - Jan 2021
We are told to always be aware of terrorists in public places but I feel mostly safe. I have the same alertness as I do in NOVA (which as a mom, I'm always watching my back). - Dec 2020
Not particularly. It is safe. - Sep 2020
We had 24/7 local guards outside our house that seemed to be more of a nuisance than anything. Rat poison was thrown in our front yard and our dog was killed; we were lucky it wasn’t one of our toddlers. Our alarm was triggered while we were after two years of living there and the guards reported they thought it was me trying to access the home. After two years it seems the guards could not positively ID me and did not confirm. Locals frequently tried to pick-up, touch, or photograph my small children. - Sep 2018
There is occasionally a peaceful protest near the Embassy, but I have never felt overly concerned other than the angry voice coming from the mosque the day after the "Embassy in Jerusalem" announcement. I feel safer in Amman than I feel in the US, honestly. - Sep 2018
This is a high threat post, formerly receiving danger pay. Jordan is in the eye of the hurricane in the fight against ISIL so precautions must be taken. That said, most parts of Jordan are safe and we have not felt any limitations on our movement or felt in imminent danger. There is surprisingly little street crime, particularly in West Amman. The only problems are usually late at night and for women on their own. As always, awareness and avoiding risks is key. - Mar 2017
We are in the eye of the storm. Every day feels safe, unless something happens. - Jul 2016
Um, yeah. Jordan likes to say it is an oasis of calm in a bad neighborhood. It's true to a point. I've never been concerned about petty crime. There is, however, a constant threat of terrorism and it's real. Syria is a stones throw away. I've been amazed by the number of people who are shocked or uninformed about the security situation when they arrive. Do your research before you come. - Mar 2016
While we lost danger pay, we're going to be labeled a high threat post soon. Syria is only 30k away... - Mar 2016
We stay vigilant but feel safe. Treat it like you are in a big city in the States but the U.S. has more crime and violence. Besides some passionate are jesters, I haven't heard of any problems. - Nov 2015
Obviously, we have dicey neighbors, so terrorism is always on our minds. However, we haven't experienced any security problems. There is petty theft, but that's rare. We take normal precautions for any city. - May 2015
Petty crime has increased during our time here, and women tend to face a fair amount of street harassment - cat-calling, aggressive staring, following, flashing, and gropings are sadly quite common. There have been threats on malls and western interests (particularly since Jordan joined the anti-ISIS coalition) but so far nothing has occurred. - Mar 2015
Yes, but not typically within Amman itself. Periodically areas within Jordan flare up, and of course Jordan borders a number of difficult places - Israel/Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. At the moment, we are truly the eye of the storm. As such, people seem to arrive at Post and forget that security is an issue and that the 15% danger pay is in place for a reason. Last August we were very close to authorized departure, at the same time this August we are welcoming 34 new direct hires/families, including 46 children. Life in Amman can be very comfortable but it can also turn on a dime. - Jul 2014
Jordan is very safe and relatively crime-free. There have been more instances of petty theft with the growing population of largely poorer people. There is also frequent tension in the air because of regional instability but Jordan itself remains pretty stable - knock on wood! - Mar 2014
Yes indeed. The situation in Syria has caused an influx of refugees, which average Jordanians aren't thrilled about, creating an undercurrent of tension. There's an uneasiness about what might happen if the civil war in Syria worsens or if the U.S. takes drastic action. There is also a slight threat of terrorism towards the Embassy. At the same time, people here live fairly normally. We go to modern grocery stores and malls. We can take taxis easily. We can travel within the country to tourist sites. There are modern hospitals and medical offices. Crime is low. - Dec 2013
Women need to be aware of their surroundings and the culture, it is a very chauvinistic country. There are regular warnings of specific highways and roads which need to be avoided because of protests and sectarian violence. - Aug 2013
Generally you can move about the city without restriction. Most American employees spend most of their time in western Amman, which virtually never has problems. Occasionally there are reports of civil unrest that require using an alternate highway when heading toward the southern part of Jordan. - Jul 2013
Yes, this is a danger post, so you always need to be vigilant. Unfortunately, the places we are allowed to go to, especially on Friday afternoons after the mosques get out, are shrinking as more and more protests--some of which can turn violent--happen. Currently we are prohibited from driving on the desert highway (one of the main roads) from Ma'an to Aqaba at any time (not just Friday) because of fighting tribes, so we drive on the Dead Sea highway instead. The situation is always changing. However, if you stay in the embassy bubble area of Abdoun, you will feel like you haven't left the west, for the most part, which is kind of a shame. - May 2013
Street crime is on the rise because of the economic situation, but it is still very low. It's the Middle East, so you are always thinking about security, especially since the Arab Spring. Jordan is one of the best countries to be in the Middle East - Mar 2013
We are in the Middle East, so there is some concern, however, I have not had any problems. The driving can be interesting, to say the least. Just be hyper-vigilant when you drive and assume that anything can happen at any time. - Apr 2012
Terrorism is a concern but not overwhelming. Amman is generally a safe place, except for driving, but that is not a security concern per se. - Mar 2012
No. There is virtually no crime, and Amman is very stable politically. Jordan is a safehaven in the region, wealthy residents of surrounding countries come here when their home countries become unstable. - Mar 2012
There is a small risk of terrorism. Crime is minimal. - Oct 2011
It's considered a high threat area for Americans due to US foreign policy. That being said I have NEVER felt in danger here. There is NO street crime. - Aug 2011
Yes. women need to be aware of how to address Jordanian males, avoid taking taxis, etc. And there are general security concerns for that part of the world. - Aug 2011
