Visa Free Countries for US Passport Holders and Citizens: Visa-Free, Visa On Arrival, ETA, eVisa What’s the difference?
Visa Free Countries for US Passport holders are countries that do not require a visa. You may be given an entry stamp on your passport.
Visa on Arrival countries for US Passport holders are countries that will issue you a visa when you arrive at a port of entry (either land, air or sea). The visa maybe simply a stamp on your passport, a visa document pasted on your passport, or a small slip of paper stapled to your passport.
eVisa countries for US Passport holders are countries that require a visa on entry but the visas can be applied for online. The visas are then issued without the traveler visiting a consular office, diplomatic mission or embassy of the destination country.
ETA countries for US Passport holders are countries that require an electronic authorization to travel. These must be applied for online before travel and must be shown to the travel provider before travel.
Visa Required countries for US Passport holders are countries that require you to apply for a visa in person. This can be done at the destination country’s diplomatic mission, consulate or embassy in your country of residence or your home country. You must obtain this visa before travel or you will be denied entry to the destination country.
HOW MANY COUNTRIES CAN US CITIZENS TRAVEL TO WITHOUT A VISA
US passport holders can visit 185 countries and territories without visas or with visa on arrival. A passport from the United States of America is amongst the best passports to travel on. It is ranked in the top 10 (with Canadian, UK, HKSAR, Swiss, among others) in terms of travel freedom on the Henley Passport Index.
If you’re a US passport holder, chances are, if the urge to travel strikes you, you won’t need to think much about visa requirements before you book a flight, accommodation, and pack your bags. But in reality, most people will check just in case, especially since visa restrictions can be imposed at short notice due to emergencies such as global pandemics.
HOW MANY COUNTRIES REQUIRE AN ENTRY VISA FOR US CITIZENS
Chinese visa in us passport
There are 36 countries or regions with different administrative territories that require US passport holders to obtain a visa before traveling.
Scroll down for the full list of countries that require an eVisa, or Visa on Arrival. For countries that require an entry visa approved before travel, we’ll include information on how to apply for this visa.
VISA GUIDE TO COUNTRIES FOR US PASSPORT HOLDERS & CITIZENS
In this section, you will find all countries where U.S. citizens with a valid passport can travel to. The list is divided into different geographic regions to help facilitate planning of travel between countries in the same area.
VISA GUIDE FOR ASIA
We’ve divided Asia into 4 geographic regions. East Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and West & Middle East Asia. This division makes it easy for travelers if they’re planning to visit multiple countries in these areas. We’ve also included the length of stay allowed in each country for ease of planning the length of your trip.
East Asia
VISA FREE or VISA ON ARRIVAL:
- Hong Kong – 90 days
- Japan – up to 90 days
- Macau – 30 days
- Mongolia – 90 days
- South Korea – 90 days
- Taiwan – 90 days
Visa on arrival – japan
VISA REQUIRED:
- China – For US Passport holders wanting to visit China, A visa must be obtain before leaving the US. You can apply for a Chinese visa from other countries depending on the presence of a Chinese embassy or diplomatic mission. Alternatively, you can apply for a visa that is valid for up to 10 years online.
TRAVEL RESTRICTION:
- North Korea
Central Asia
VISA FREE:
- Kazakhstan – 30 days
- Kyrgyzstan – 60 days
- Uzbekistan – eVisa for 30 days, visa free transit for 5 days if arriving in an international airport but must show an onward ticket – apply for an evisa
VISA REQUIRED:
- Tajikistan – 45 days eVisa for travelers. EXCEPTION: if you are arriving from a country with a Tajiki diplomatic mission, such as the US, you have to apply for visa from the Tajiki Diplomatic Mission. To Apply for an eVisa click here
- Turkmenistan
Southeast Asia
VISA FREE OR VISA ON ARRIVAL:
- Brunei – 90 days
- Cambodia – 30 days, Visa on Arrival – eVisa also avaialble Apply for an eVisa here
- East Timor / Timor Leste: 30 days, Visa on Arrival, must arrive by air
- Indonesia – 30 days
- Laos – 30 Visa on Arrival – eVisa also available – apply here
- Malaysia – 90 days
- Philippines – 30 days or a visa on arrival for 59 days for $50
- Singapore – 90 days
- Thailand – 30 days, EXCEPTION: if not arriving by air, maximum of 2 visits per year.
EVISA ONLY:
- Myanmar – 28 days eVisa, Visitors must arrive by air OR at land borders: Tachileik, Myawaddy, and Kawthaung – Apply for an eVisa here
- Vietnam – 30 days eVisa – Apply for an eVisa here
South Asia
VISA ON ARRIVAL:
- Bangladesh – 30 days
- Maldives – 30 days extendable up to 90 days
- Nepal – 90 days visa on arrival
- Sri Lanka – Visa on Arrival – eVisa also available – Apply for an eVisa here
EVISA:
- India – 180 days eVisa – Apply for an eVisa here
- Pakistan – eVisa for 30 days, single entry – Check here for how to apply
VISA REQUIRED:
- Bhutan
West Asia / Middle East
VISA FREE / VISA ON ARRIVAL:
- Armenia – 180 days
- Bahrain – 14 days, Visa on Arrival – eVisa also available – apply for an eVisa here
- Georgia – 365 days
- Israel – 90 days
- Jordan – 30 days Visa on Arrival or apply for Jordan Pass to maximize your visa fee with visits to popular places included in price – apply here
- Oman – 30 days Visa on Arrival, extension for 30 days available – eVisa also available – get your evisa here
- Palestine
- Qatar – 30 days Visa on Arrival – eVisa also available
- Turkey – 90 days Visa on Arrival – eVisa also available – get your eVisa here
- United Arab Emirates – 30 days Visa on Arrival – free of charge
EVISA:
- Azerbaijan – 30 days, eVisa – apply for an eVisa here
- Kuwait – 90 days – check price for eVisa here
- Lebanon – 30 days extendable up to additional 60 days
- Saudi Arabia – 90 days stay for eVisa, valid for 1 year – apply here
VISA REQUIRED:
- Iran
- Syria
- Yemen
VISA GUIDE FOR EUROPE
Europe is categorized into Schengen states and non-Schengen states. Schengen States are signatories of the Schengen Agreement which allows freedom of movement of people across borders of countries in the agreement. This means that once you enter a Schengen state, and you get your passport stamped, you can travel freely to all other Schengen states within the 90 day period without any further stamps or border checks.
Note: During special situations such as a pandemic or refugee crisis where movement can be restricted, you may be required to show your passport when crossing national borders within the Schengen area.
Schengen States
FREE VISA:
US Passport holders can freely visit any Schengen state for 90 days in any 180-day period and can freely travel in the Schengen area without obtaining a new visa. If you’ve exhausted the 90 day period, you’ll have to apply for a visa extension.
SCHENGEN MEMBER STATES:
| Austria | Belgium | Czech Republic | Denmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estonia | Finland | France | Germany |
| Greece | Hungary | Iceland | Italy |
| Latvia | Liechtenstein | Lithuania | Luxembourg |
| Malta | Netherlands | Norway | Poland |
| Portugal | Slovakia | Slovenia | Spain |
| Sweden | Switzerland |
Non-Schengen
FREE VISA: Non-Schengen
- Albania – 365 days
- Andorra – 90 days
- Belarus – 30 days must arrive via Minsk Airport
- Bulgaria – 90 days within 180-day period
- Croatia – 90 days within 180-day period
- Cyprus – 90 days within 180-day period
- Ireland – 90 days, must show the purpose of travel, sufficient fund, return ticket, and accommodation booking
- Kosovo – 90 days
- Macedonia – 90 days
- Moldova – 90 days
- Monaco – 90 days within 180-day
- Montenegro – 90 days
- Romania – 90 days within 180-day
- San Marino
- Serbia – 90 days within 180-day
- Ukraine – 90 days within 180-day
- United Kingdom – 180 days must show return ticket and accommodation booking
- Vatican City
VISA REQUIRED:
Russian visa – us passport
- Russia – you need an invitation letter from a person in Russia or a travel agency You can apply for an invitation letter online here.
VISA GUIDE FOR AFRICA
Central Africa
VISA FREE or VISA ON ARRIVAL:
- Central African Republic – 180 days, international certificate of vaccination required
- Equatorial Guinea – International certificate of vaccination if travelling from a country with high risk of yellow fever
- Gabon – Visa on Arrival – eVisa also available. Note: eVisa entry only at Libreville International Airport
- Rwanda – 30 days Visa on Arrival – eVisa also available
- Sao Tome and Principe – 15 days
EVISA:
- Angola – 30 days eVisa
VISA REQUIRED:
- Burundi
- Cameroon – International certificate of vaccination required
- Chad – International certificate of vaccination required
- Democratic Republic of the Congo – proof of hotel reservation and international certificate of vaccination
- South Sudan – two blank pages on passport required
East Africa
VISA FREE or VISA ON ARRIVAL:
- Comoros – visa on arrival
- Ethiopia – evisa or visa on arrival which is obtainable at Addis Ababa Bole airport – you can get your evisa here
- Kenya – 90 days visa on arrival or evisa – get your evisa here
- Madagascar – 30 days visa on arrival – check prices online
- Malawi – 90 days visa on arrival or evisa – apply here
- Mayotte – 90 days
- Mauritius – 90 days
- Mozambique – 30 days visa on arrival
- Somalia – visa on arrival
- Tanzania – 90 days visa on arrival for $100 fee
- Uganda – visa on arrival or evisa must be applied two days prior to arrival, get your evisa here
- Zambia – 90 days visa on arrival or evisa – arrival date must be exact, can be extended free of charge – GET YOUR EVISA HERE
- Zimbabwe – 90 days visa on arrival or evisa – apply for an evisa here
Malawi visa on arrival – us passport
EVISA:
- Djibouti – 31 days evisa
- Reunion – 90 days
- Seychelles – 90 days visitor’s permit free of charge and can be extended for up to one year
VISA REQUIRED:
- Eritrea
North Africa
VISA FREE or VISA ON ARRIVAL:
- Egypt – 30 days Visa on Arrival – eVisa also available – you can get your visa online
- Morocco – 90 days
- Tunisia – 90 days
VISA REQUIRED:
- Algeria
- Libya
- Sudan
Southern Africa
VISA FREE:
- Botswana – 90 days
- Lesotho – 14 days extendable up to 180 days
- Namibia – 90 days
- South Africa – 90 days
- Swaziland – 30 days
Western Africa
VISA FREE or VISA ON ARRIVAL
- Benin – 30 days/8 days Visa on Arrival – eVisa also available – international certificate of vaccination required
- Burkina Faso – 30 days Visa on Arrival
- Cape Verde – Visa on Arrival
- Gambia – international certificate of vaccination required
- Guinea-Bissau – 90 days Visa on Arrival, eVisa also available – must apply in advance online
- Mauritania – Visa on Arrival only at Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport, international certificate of vaccination required
- Senegal – 90 days international certificate of vaccination required
- Togo – 7 days Visa on Arrival
EVISA:
- Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) – apply for an eVisa valid for 30 days – Ivory Coast Visa application online
- Saint Helena – Visitor’s pass required
VISA REQUIRED:
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Liberia
- Mali
- Niger – international certificate of vaccination required
- Nigeria – visa can be obtained online
- Sierra Leone – international certificate of vaccination required
VISA GUIDE FOR THE AMERICAS
For the Americas, We’ve divided this section into 3 geographical areas. North, central, and south America. This should help those that are planning to travel from country to country on arrival from the US.
Central America
VISA FREE or VISA on ARRIVAL:
- Barbados – 180 days
- Belize – 30 days, can be extended p to 6 months
- Costa Rica – 90 days, Departure tax of $29 required
- Dominican Republic – 30 days, Tourist Card on arrival
- El Salvador – 90 days
- Guatemala – 90 days, the exit fee required when leaving by air
- Jamaica – 180 days
- Honduras – 90 days, Airport departure tax must be paid in cash
- Nicaragua – 90 days, Tourist Card of $10 required
- Panama – 90 – 180 days
North America
VISA FREE:
- Canada – 180 days, a traveller with a criminal record in the past 10 years may not be able to enter unless with a Temporary Resident Permit or Rehabilitation Approval
- Mexico – 180 days Tourist Card – Get you Tourist Card here
South America
VISA FREE or VISA ON ARRIVAL:
- Argentina – 90 days, can be extended up to 180 days
- Aruba – 90 days
- Bolivia – 90 days Visa on Arrival, $160 fee, but Visa is valid for 10 years
- Brazil – 90 days
- Chile – 90 days
- Colombia – 90 days, extension to 180 days possible, Yellow fever vaccination record required if entering from Brazil
- Curacao – 90 days
- Falkland Islands
- French Guiana – 90 days
- Ecuador – 90 days, additional extension of 90 days possible.
- Guyana – 90 days
- Paraguay – 90 days Visa on Arrival
- Peru – 183, determined on arrival
- Suriname – 90 days, Tourist Card on arrival can only be obtained either at Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport or online.
- Uruguay – 90 days
VISA REQUIRED:
- Cuba – Tourist Card required – valid for 30 days – get your Tourist Card here
- Venezuela
Cuban tourist card – us passport
VISA GUIDE FOR OCEANIA
VISA FREE or VISA ON ARRIVAL:
- Fiji – 120 days
- Kiribati – 30 days
- Marshall Islands – unlimited days of stay and legal to work
- Micronesia – unlimited days of stay and legal to work
- Palau – 365 days and legal to work
- Samoa – 30 days, entry permit on arrival
- Solomon Islands – 90 days in 365-day period, visitor’s permit on arrival
- Tonga – 31 days Visa on Arrival
- Tuvalu – 30 days Visa on Arrival, extension up to 90 days free of charge
- Vanuatu – 30 days can be extended up to 120 days
EVISA or ETA:
- Australia – ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) required – valid for maximum of 90 days for every 365-day period
- New Zealand – 90 days – Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) required
- Papua New Guinea – eVisa – 60 days – extension of 30 more days possible – apply now
VISA REQUIRED:
- Nauru
OTHER TERRITORIES
In addition to all the countries and territories listed above, there are several territories that US citizens can enter without a visa or permit of any kind.
- United States Minor Outlying Islands – see the list here
- Puerto Rico, 1900
- Virgin Islands, 1936
- Guam, 1950
- Northern Marinas Islands, 1978
TIPS FOR TRAVEL
Check out this list of websites that will help you make your travel planning easier.
Accommodations:
- Booking.com – most of the time, your booking can be cancelled at no fee
- Agoda – popular around Europe
- Hotels.com – hotel search engine for the best deals
- AccorHotels.com – hotel chain offering simplicity to luxury
- Radisson.com – hotel chain catering to hotels in Asia, Europe and North America, airport locations.
- Parkinn.com – hotel chain catering to hotels in Europe and North America, airport locations.
- Marriott.com – hotel chain offering basic to luxury, worldwide locations.
Tours:
- Get Your Guide – a tour booking site that has a wide coverage of tours for every destination
- Viator – great for Europe and North America
- Klook – the most affordable place to book tours in Southeast Asia
- Expedia – tour booking site
- Disney – your direct path to theme parks and more
- Travelocity – tour booking site
Visa:
- iVisa – the one and only visa processing website that I use and never had any issues
Flights:
- Skyscanner – definitely my favourite search engine for flights to anywhere in the world; its flexible compared to other websites.
Car Rental:
- HolidayAuto.com – rental car consolidator
- Rentalcars.com – rental car search engine
DISCLAIMER
The Funny Beaver aims to provide accurate information as of publication date. There may be errors and omissions and we cannot be held responsible for any costs or damages arising from non-admittance to countries or territories listed above. Always double check visa information from the government of the country of intended travel as visa requirements can an do change on short notice.