Historically, HRTCs were defined by the European Union. Following Brexit, the UK adopted its own list under Schedule 3ZA of the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 (MLR 2017). This changed on 22 January 2024, when the definition was updated to align with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) lists:
- High-risk jurisdictions subject to a call for action
- Jurisdictions under increased monitoring
These lists are updated every February, June, and October, and firms must apply enhanced due diligence (EDD) under Regulation 33 when dealing with clients established in these jurisdictions.
Why Historic Designations Matter
A country’s removal from the high-risk list does not mean the risk disappears. Past designations often indicate structural weaknesses that criminals can exploit. For example:
- Lao PDR was high-risk from 2016 to 2020, removed, and then re-added in February 2025.
- This demonstrates that jurisdictions can fall back into non-compliance.
Firms should review historic client relationships and transactions involving previous HRTCs as part of ongoing monitoring under Regulation 28(11).
Find the full SRA guidance as of 4 December 2025 here.
Historic High-Risk Third Countries Table as of 4 December 2025
| Country | Current HRTC? | Date Added | Date Removed |
| Afghanistan | No | 23 Sep 2016 | 26 Mar 2021 |
| Albania | No | 26 Mar 2021 | 05 Dec 2023 |
| Algeria | Yes | 25 Oct 2024 | — |
| Angola | Yes | 25 Oct 2024 | — |
| The Bahamas | No | 01 Oct 2020 | 26 Mar 2021 |
| Barbados | No | 01 Oct 2020 | 23 Feb 2024 |
| Bolivia | Yes | 13 Jun 2025 | — |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | No | 23 Sep 2016 | 09 Jul 2020 |
| Botswana | No | 01 Oct 2020 | 02 Nov 2021 |
| British Virgin Islands | Yes | 13 Jun 2025 | — |
| Bulgaria | Yes | 05 Dec 2023 | — |
| Burkina Faso | No | 26 Mar 2021 | 24 Oct 2025 |
| Cambodia | No | 01 Oct 2020 | 27 Jun 2023 |
| Cameroon | Yes | 05 Dec 2023 | — |
| Cayman Islands | No | 26 Mar 2021 | 05 Dec 2023 |
| Cote D’Ivoire | Yes | 25 Oct 2024 | — |
| Croatia | No | 05 Dec 2023 | 13 Jun 2025 |
| Democratic Republic of Congo | Yes | 15 Nov 2022 | — |
| Ethiopia | No | 13 Feb 2018 | 09 Jul 2020 |
| Ghana | No | 01 Oct 2020 | 13 Jul 2021 |
| Gibraltar | No | 12 Jul 2022 | 23 Feb 2024 |
| Guyana | No | 23 Sep 2016 | 09 Jul 2020 |
| Haiti | Yes | 13 Jul 2021 | — |
| Iran | Yes | 23 Sep 2016 | — |
| Iraq | No | 23 Sep 2016 | 26 Mar 2021 |
| Jamaica | No | 01 Oct 2020 | 28 Jun 2024 |
| Jordan | No | 02 Nov 2021 | 05 Dec 2023 |
| Kenya | Yes | 23 Feb 2024 | — |
| Lao PDR | Yes | 23 Sep 2016 / Re-added 21 Feb 2025 | 09 Jul 2020 |
| Lebanon | Yes | 25 Oct 2024 | — |
| Mali | No | 02 Nov 2021 | 13 Jun 2025 |
| Malta | No | 13 Jul 2021 | 12 Jul 2022 |
| Mauritius | No | 01 Oct 2020 | 02 Nov 2021 |
| Monaco | Yes | 28 Jun 2024 | — |
| Mongolia | No | 01 Oct 2020 | 07 Feb 2021 |
| Morocco | No | 26 Mar 2021 | 27 Jun 2023 |
| Mozambique | No | 15 Nov 2022 | 24 Oct 2025 |
| Myanmar | Yes | 01 Oct 2020 | — |
| Namibia | Yes | 23 Feb 2024 | — |
| Nepal | Yes | 21 Feb 2025 | — |
| Nicaragua | No | 01 Oct 2020 | 15 Nov 2022 |
| Nigeria | No | 05 Dec 2023 | 24 Oct 2025 |
| North Korea | Yes | 23 Sep 2016 | — |
| Pakistan | No | 22 Oct 2018 | 15 Nov 2022 |
| Panama | No | 01 Oct 2020 | 05 Dec 2023 |
| Philippines | No | 13 Jul 2021 | 21 Feb 2025 |
| Senegal | No | 26 Mar 2021 | 25 Oct 2024 |
| South Africa | No | 05 Dec 2023 | 24 Oct 2025 |
| South Sudan | Yes | 13 Jul 2021 | — |
| Sri Lanka | No | 06 Mar 2018 | 09 Jul 2020 |
| Syria | Yes | 23 Sep 2016 | — |
| Tanzania | No | 15 Nov 2022 | 13 Jun 2025 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | No | 06 Mar 2018 | 26 Mar 2021 |
| Tunisia | No | 06 Mar 2018 | 09 Jul 2020 |
| Turkey | No | 02 Nov 2021 | 28 Jun 2024 |
| Uganda | No | 23 Sep 2016 | 23 Feb 2024 |
| United Arab Emirates | No | 29 Mar 2022 | 23 Feb 2024 |
| Vanuatu | No | 23 Sep 2016 | 26 Mar 2021 |
| Venezuela | Yes | 28 Jun 2024 | — |
| Vietnam | Yes | 05 Dec 2023 | — |
| Yemen | Yes | 23 Sep 2016 | — |
| Zimbabwe | No | 01 Oct 2020 | 29 Mar 2022 |
Best Practice for Firms
To stay compliant and mitigate risk:
- Monitor transactions involving previous HRTCs
- Apply a risk-based approach to overseas transactions
- Update policies regularly in line with FATF changes