US nationals can enter more than 100 countries just with their passport.
That makes both Americas and the whole of Europe almost completely visa-free with a US passport in possession.
Not only that – more than 60 states offer Americans easier alternatives to the regular visa. This makes traveling really easy for US citizens.
In this article, you will learn what countries can US citizens visit with just their passports in hand, and for which you would need a bit more preparation in 2023 – obtaining some type of visa alternative or applying for a regular one.
| TYPE OF ACCESS | NUMBER OF COUNTRIES |
|---|---|
| Visa-Free Countries | 112 (57%) |
| Visa-On-Arrival Countries | 36 (18%) |
| eVisa Countries | 30 (15%) |
| eTA Countries | 6 (3%) |
| Visa Countries | 23 (12%) |
How many countries can US citizens travel to visa-free?
Exactly 112 countries grant visa-free entry to US passport holders.
On this list, you can find Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Canada, Alaska, and Mexico.
But although these 8 territories do not require a visa, they do not require a passport either!
US nationals could travel there with any valid form of identification. It is best to still check if an airline requires a passport, but it is not necessary while crossing land or sea borders.
What countries can US citizens visit without a visa?
More than half of the world’s countries (57% to be exact) grant visa-free entry to US nationals.
It makes traveling to North America, South America, and Europe very easy.
Below you can find a complete list of states that you can travel to without a visa if you own a valid US passport.
The information about the allowed length of stay is placed in the brackets.
| Albania (360 days) | Lesotho |
| Andorra (90 days) | Liechtenstein (90 days) |
| Antigua and Barbuda (180 days) | Lithuania (90 days) |
| Argentina (90 days) | Luxembourg (90 days) |
| Armenia (180 days) | Macao (30 days) |
| Austria (90 days) | Malaysia (90 days) |
| Bahamas (240 days) | Malta (90 days) |
| Barbados (180 days) | Marshall Islands (90 days) |
| Belgium (90 days) | Mauritius (90 days) |
| Belize (180 days) | Mexico (180 days) |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina (90 days) | Micronesia (30 days) |
| Botswana (90 days) | Moldova (90 days) |
| Brazil (90 days) | Monaco (90 days) |
| Brunei (90 days) | Mongolia (90 days) |
| Bulgaria (90 days) | Montenegro (90 days) |
| Canada (180 days) | Morocco (90 days) |
| Cape Verde (EASE, 30 days) | Namibia (90 days) |
| Central African Republic (180 days) | Netherlands (90 days) |
| Chile (90 days) | Nicaragua (90 days) |
| Colombia (90 days) | North Macedonia (90 days) |
| Costa Rica (90 days) | Norway (90 days) |
| Croatia (90 days) | Palau (360 days) |
| Cyprus (90 days) | Palestinian Territories |
| Czech Republic (90 days) | Panama (180 days) |
| Denmark (90 days) | Paraguay (90 days) |
| Dominica (180 days) | Peru (180 days) |
| Dominican Republic | Philippines (30 days) |
| Ecuador (90 days) | Poland (90 days) |
| El Salvador (90 days) | Portugal (90 days) |
| Equatorial Guinea | Qatar (30 days) |
| Estonia (90 days) | Romania (90 days) |
| Eswatini (30 days) | Saint Kitts and Nevis (180 days) |
| Fiji (120 days) | Saint Lucia (42 days) |
| Finland (90 days) | San Marino (90 days) |
| France (90 days) | Sao Tome and Principe (15 days) |
| Georgia (360 days) | Senegal (90 days) |
| Germany (90 days) | Serbia (90 days) |
| Greece (90 days) | Singapore (90 days) |
| Grenada (90 days) | Slovakia (90 days) |
| Guatemala (90 days) | Slovenia (90 days) |
| Guyana (90 days) | South Africa (90 days) |
| Haiti (90 days) | Spain (90 days) |
| Honduras (90 days) | St. Vincent and the Grenadines (30 days) |
| Hong Kong (90 days) | Sweden (90 days) |
| Hungary (90 days) | Switzerland (90 days) |
| Iceland (90 days) | Taiwan (90 days) |
| Ireland (90 days) | Tajikistan (30 days) |
| Israel (90 days) | Thailand (45 days) |
| Italy (90 days) | Trinidad and Tobago (90 days) |
| Jamaica (180 days) | Tunisia (120 days) |
| Japan (90 days) | Ukraine (90 days) |
| Kazakhstan (30 days) | United Kingdom (180 days) |
| Kiribati (120 days) | Uruguay (90 days) |
| Kosovo (90 days) | Vanuatu (30 days) |
| Kyrgyzstan (60 days) | Vatican City (90 days) |
| Latvia (90 days) | Zambia (90 days) |
Related readings:
- Visa-Free Countries for Panamanian Passport Holders in 2023
- Visa-Free Countries for Mexican Passport Holders in 2023
- Visa-Free Countries for Cuban Passport Holders in 2023
- US Passport vs. Canadian Passport: A Comparative Guide
- Visa-Free Countries for Philippine Passport Holders in 2023
- Visa-Free Countries for Qatari Passport Holders in 2023
- Visa-Free Countries for Slovakian Passport Holders in 2023
How many countries can US citizens visit with a visa on arrival?
There are 36 countries that offer visa-on-arrival to US passport holders.
That means that US citizens can apply for a visa after they have already arrived at their destination, and it can be granted to Americans traveling by land, sea, or air.
After the visa is issued at the airport, or border post – US citizens can continue their travels without any additional red tape.
What countries can US citizens go to with a visa on arrival?
You can apply for this type of visa to travel to some countries in Africa and Asia.
The full list of states that offer a visa on arrival to US passport holders is available below.
The length of allowed stay is added in the brackets, so make sure that your trip will not exceed this period. If you want to stay abroad longer, you may have to apply for a different type of travel document.
| Angola (pre-visa on arrival) | Mauritania |
| Bahrain (30 days) | Mozambique (30 days) |
| Bangladesh (30 days) | Nepal (150 days) |
| Bolivia (30 days) | Nigeria (pre-visa on arrival) |
| Burkina Faso (30 days) | Oman (30 days) |
| Burundi (30 days) | Rwanda (30 days) |
| Comoros (45 days) | Samoa (60 days) |
| Egypt (30 days) | Saudi Arabia (90 days) |
| Gambia | Sierra Leone (30 days) |
| Guinea-Bissau (90 days) | Solomon Islands (90 days) |
| Indonesia (30 days) | Somalia (30 days) |
| Iraq (60 days) | Tanzania |
| Jordan | Timor-Leste (30 days) |
| Laos (30 days) | Togo (7 days) |
| Lebanon (30 days) | Tonga (31 days) |
| Madagascar (90 days) | Tuvalu (30 days) |
| Malawi (30 days) | United Arab Emirates (30 days) |
| Maldives (30 days) | Zimbabwe (90 days) |
How many countries can US citizens visit with an eVisa?
eVisa, called an electronic visa as well, is another type of travel authorization available to US citizens.
There are 30 countries in the world that offer this option to American visitors, and similarly to the visa-on-arrival, they are located mainly in Africa and Asia.
But unlike a visa on arrival, this type of document needs to be applied for in advance, before you start your travels.
Because the whole process is conducted online, your documents should be photocopied and sent in a digital version.
Visit the official government website of the country you plan to visit, to make sure you have all the necessary papers digitalized and ready to be submitted.
Which countries require US citizens to obtain an eVisa?
Electronic visa is issued to US passport holders in countries primarily located in Africa and Asia, and below you can find the complete list of them.
If the validity is available we have added it in the brackets next to the name of each state. While traveling, make sure not to overstay this period.
Note, that some of the countries listed below will be present in the visa-on-arrival destinations as well. That is caused by the fact that US passport holders can in many cases choose what type of visa they would prefer to obtain.
| Azerbaijan (30 days) | Laos (30 days) |
| Bahrain (30 days) | Malawi (30 days) |
| Benin | Myanmar [Burma] |
| Cambodia (30 days) | Oman (30 days) |
| Congo (Dem. Rep., 90 days) | Papua New Guinea (60 days) |
| Cuba (tourist card, 30 days) | Rwanda (30 days) |
| Djibouti | Saudi Arabia (90 days) |
| Egypt (30 days) | Seychelles (tourist registration, 90 days) |
| Ethiopia (90 days) | South Sudan |
| Gabon (90 days) | Suriname (eTourist card, 90 days) |
| Guinea (90 days) | Tanzania |
| Guinea-Bissau (90 days) | Turkey (90 days) |
| India (30 days) | Uganda |
| Kenya (90 days) | Uzbekistan (30 days) |
| Kuwait (90 days) | Vietnam (30 days) |
How many countries require US citizens to have a visa to visit?
If you travel with a US passport, you will still need to apply for a visa in 23 countries.
This number is insignificant compared to more than 170 states granting easier-to-obtain alternatives, or not requiring any travel authorization at all.
But there are still some nations that would not grant entry to American citizens without a valid visa.
It is best to always check the country’s official government website to make sure you have all the necessary information to plan your stay.
What countries require US citizens to get a visa?
Most of the countries that require a visa from US citizens are located in the northern part of Africa and Asia.
There are not many of them, but you will still need a regular visa for some tourist destinations such as China, Russia, or Venezuela.
The validity of the document depends on the country you apply for, as well as the purpose of your stay.
As always, to be secure, check the government website before leaving for your destination.
| Afghanistan | Libya |
| Algeria | Mali |
| Belarus | Nauru |
| Bhutan | Niger |
| Cameroon | North Korea |
| Chad | Russian Federation |
| China | Sudan |
| Congo | Syria |
| Eritrea | Turkmenistan |
| Ghana | Venezuela |
| Iran | Yemen |
| Liberia |
US citizens can travel to 6 countries with eTA authorization
eTA, also called Electronic Travel Authorization, is an entry requirement for travelers that are visa-exempt in the visited state.
Countries are using it to better track the flow of visitors, improve national security, and pre-screen travelers coming into their territory by air.
You must have your travel document on you while crossing the border, as the eTA is automatically connected to your passport.
There are 6 countries that grant this type of entry to US passport holders:
| Australia (90 days) | Pakistan (30 days) |
| Ivory Coast (pre-enrollment, 90 days) | South Korea (90 days) |
| New Zealand (90 days) | Sri Lanka (30 days) |
Summary of visa-free countries for US citizens
The US passport grants very high mobility to its owner. With this document, you can travel to 175 countries without applying for a regular visa.
112 of them are completely visa-free for American visitors, and 63 offer easier alternatives for tourism.
There are 36 offering visas-on-arrival, 30 granting eVisas or travel cards, and 6 issuing eTAs.
Only 23 countries – meaning 12% of nations – require a regular visa from US nationals.
Overall, 88% of the world is accessible to US passport holders, with 57% of destinations granting entry just with the passport, without any travel authorization needed.
FAQ: World accessibility for US passport holders
What countries do US citizens need a visa for?
There are 23 countries that require a visa from US citizens. They are mostly located in north Africa and Asia, with just some of them being China, Congo, Russia, and Venezuela.
How many countries can US passport holders enter without a visa?
There are 112 countries that grant visa-free entry to US nationals. Most of them are located in both North and South America, as well as Europe.
Do I need a visa if I have a US passport?
No, not all countries will require a visa from US citizens. Currently, only 23 states require a regular visa, and 112 grant completely visa-free entry, with the remaining 63 using some other type of authorization like a visa-on-arrival, eVisa, or eTA.
