US Passport Visa-Free Countries

Traveling with a US passport

As of March 2023, the US passport ranks 7th in the Hensley passport index, which makes it one of the most powerful passports in the world.

Similarly, like the passport issued by Belgium, New Zealand, Switzerland, Norway, and the Czech Republic, which also ranked seventh place in terms of travel freedom, the US passport enables visa-free trips to over 180 countries.

Additionally, US passport holders can also enjoy Visa on Arrival or electronic visa service offered by various countries for different durations of stay.

It is worth mentioning that certain countries offer visa-free entries and stays only related to tourism. For any other purposes, including work, study, or business, a traveler from a visa-exempt country will still need to obtain a relevant visa or permit directly from the consulate or embassy of a visited country.

Please bear in mind that even though you may not need a visa to enter a certain country, there might be other entry requirements that you must follow. Also, most countries allow visa-free stay for short-term purposes, while a visa extension may be needed in order to stay in the country longer.

Before setting off for your trip, make sure to research the destination you plan to visit, get familiar with visa requirements, and avoid any issues upon your arrival in a certain country.

The US passport application process

Only citizens of the US may apply for an American passport. The application process includes a few steps, which include the need to:

complete a DS-11 form (you can download it from a Department of State’s website);

gather required documents (original identification documents must be presented at a passport acceptance facility to collect a passport);

cover the processing fee (the fee may vary and depends on the applicant’s age).

Please note that you need to apply for a US passport in person since your documents must be verified by an acceptance agent on-site.

Visa-free countries list for US passport holders

Following, there is the recent list of all the countries where US passport holders can travel without a visa:

• Andorra
• Anguilla
• Albania
• Argentina
• American Samoa
• Austria
• Aruba
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Barbados
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Bermuda
• Brunei
• Brazil
• Bahamas
• Botswana
• Belize
• Canada
• Central African Republic
• Switzerland
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Serbia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Germany
• Denmark
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• Estonia
• Spain
• Finland
• Falkland Islands
• Faroe Islands
• France
• United Kingdom
• Grenada
• Georgia
• French Guiana
• Gibraltar
• Greenland
• Equatorial Guinea
• Greece
• Guatemala
• Guyana
• Hong Kong
• Honduras
• Croatia
• Haiti
• Hungary
• Indonesia
• Ireland
• Iceland
• Italy
• Jamaica
• Japan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• South Korea
• Cayman Islands
• Kazakhstan
• Saint Lucia
• Liechtenstein
• Lesotho
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Latvia
• Morocco
• Monaco
• Moldova
• Montenegro
• Macedonia
• Mongolia
• Montserrat
• Malta
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• Malaysia
• Namibia
• Nicaragua
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Panama
• Peru
• Philippines
• Poland
• San Marino
• Senegal
• El Salvador
• Caicos Islands
• Thailand
• Tunisia
• Taiwan
• Ukraine
• Uruguay
• Uzbekistan
• Vatican City
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• British Virgin Islands
• Mayotte
• South Africa
• Singapore
• Portugal
• Sweden
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Romania
• Kosovo
• Turks and Caicos Islands
• Guernsey
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Reunion
• Puerto Rico
• Curacao
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Eswatini

The benefits of visiting visa-free countries with the US passport

The benefits that give visa-free travel to US passport holders are numerous. However, the most significant ones include:

No additional paperwork: US citizens traveling to a visa-free country can forget about lengthy procedures to apply for a visa or other entry permit; neither do they need to worry about providing additional documents, like invitation letters, and bank statements proving their sufficient funds for the entire duration of planned stay, etc.

No extra costs: Visa application entails the processing fees, which most often are not small and are rather inadequate to the intended length of stay in the country; the cost-saving difference can be visible, especially if one travels with the family.

No need to plan a trip in advance: Forget about planning your trip long weeks before setting off; without needing to apply for a visa, you can go on a spontaneous trip – just pack your bag and go to one of the destinations included on the visa-free countries list for US citizens!

Countries offering eVisa to US citizens

An online visa or eVisa can be issued either as a single-entry or multiple-entry visa, depending on the country and the visa type. Most often, eVisas cover the purpose of tourism, business, and transit. Other purposes must be covered by a regular visa obtainable directly at the embassy or consulate of a given country.

Following, there is a complete list of countries offering eVisa service for the holders of a US passport:

• Angola
• Azerbaijan
• Bahrain
• Benin
• Ivory Coast
• Djibouti
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• Guinea Bissau
• Guinea
• India
• Kenya
• Cambodia
• Kuwait
• Laos
• Madagascar
• Myanmar
• Malawi
• Pakistan
• Turkey
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• Uzbekistan
• Vietnam
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe
• Rwanda
• Saudi Arabia
• Sudan

Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

Certain countries introduced the Electronic Travel Authorization system dedicated to travelers participating in Visa Vaiwer Programs. The eTA must be obtained prior to travel instead of a visa by every traveler from a visa-exempt country.

Countries that offer eTAs to US passport holders include:

• Australia
• Ivory Coast
• South Korea
• Sri Lanka
• New Zealand

Countries offering visas on arrival to US passport holders

A Visa On Arrival (VOA) is a visa granted at an entry point of a given country, for example, at an international airport or land border crossing point. Most often, it is a time-consuming procedure since travelers arriving in a country must queue at the immigration desk and wait for visa approval. They must also provide all the necessary documents and cover the visa fee – most often, only payment in cash is acceptable.

Please do note that most countries offering VOA have also introduced electronic visas, which is a more convenient and secure method of getting a visa without unnecessary stress and time wasted on waiting in long lines.

Anyway, if you prefer to get a Visa on Arrival in a visited country, as an American citizen holding a valid US passport, you can do it in the following countries:

• United Arab Emirates
• Bangladesh
• Burkina Faso
• Burundi
• Bolivia
• Iraq
• Jordan
• Comoros
• Lebanon
• Mauritania
• Maldives
• Mozambique
• Nepal
• New Guinea
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• Togo
• Timor Leste
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Seychelles
• Solomon Islands

Countries where US citizens need to get a visa to travel to

US citizens need to obtain a visa to travel to certain countries. A visa must be obtained at the consulate or embassy of the country they wish to travel to.

Below are the countries whose governments require US passport holders to have a visa to board the flight and enter their country:

• Afghanistan
• Azerbaijan
• Bhutan
• Belarus
• Congo
• Republic of the Congo
• Cameroon
• China
• Cuba
• Algeria
• Eritrea
• Ghana
• Iran
• North Korea
• Liberia
• Libya
• Mali
• Niger
• Nigeria
• Nauru
• Suriname
• Syria
• Chad
• Turkmenistan
• Turkey
• Venezuela
• Vietnam
• Yemen
• Russia
• Sudan