How many countries can U.S citizen visit without a visa if you may ask, and the answer is 166 countries. Passport from the United States of America is probably one of the strongest passports in the world for travelling. Travelling for citizens of the US is quite easy as they can simply book a flight, accommodation, and go.
If you are on the planning stage of your trip, here, I will discuss the countries where US citizens do not need a visa to enter the country. I will also list down the countries where you can a visa on arrival, evisa, how to extend a visa easily, and how to apply for a visa for the countries you need it.
You may use the table of contents to navigate faster, I categorised the countries as handy as possible.
LEGEND: VOA (visa on arrival). All prices are in US Dollars.
VISA FREE COUNTRIES FOR US PASSPORT HOLDERS & CITIZENS
We already know that U.S. citizens can travel to countries without a visa are Canada, the UK, Germany, Japan, Greece, Australia, and all European countries. But do you know that a U.S. passport holder can go to so many countries as well?
In this section, you will find the countries where U.S. citizens with a passport can travel without a visa. I categorised them based on the continents and sub-continents. You can use the table of contents above to navigate faster or keep scrolling to see the entire list.
Here are some travel tips that you may find useful:
- Visa guide for New Zealand citizens
- Visa free countries for Canadian passport holders
- Australian passport visa free countries
- British passport visa free countries
- Get a low-cost travel insurance before you go
- Visa free countries for Philippines passport holders
- German passport visa free countries
TIP: Check these best books to read when travelling
HOW MANY COUNTRIES CAN AMERICAN CITIZEN TRAVEL WITHOUT A VISA
US citizens can travel without a visa to 116 countries, while they can get a 47 visa on arrival, and 35 countries require them to obtain a visa before arriving in the country. US passport is on the top 10 most powerful passport in terms of travelling the world. This article listed not only visa free countries for US passport holders but also those countries that a US citizen can get an eVisa and visa on arrival.
ALSO READ: Which countries that require visa for US citizens
VISA GUIDE FOR ASIA
This section is divided into four demographic categories; East Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and West & Middle East Asia mentioning all US visa free countries and listing down those with eVisa and countries that require a visa before entry.
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East Asia
VISA FREE:
- Hong Kong – 90 days
- Japan – 90 days – things to know before travelling to Japan
- Macau – 30 days
- Mongolia – 90 days
- South Korea – 90 days
- Taiwan – 90 days – things to know before travelling to Taiwan
VISA REQUIRED:
- China – visa must obtain before leaving the US. You can apply for a US visa from other countries depending on the Chinese embassy’s policy or you can get a visa that is valid for 10 years online.
TRAVEL RESTRICTION:
- North Korea
Central Asia
VISA FREE:
- Kazakhstan – 30 days
- Kyrgyzstan – 60 days
- Uzbekistan – evisa for 30 days, free transit for 5 days in an international airport but must show an onward ticket – apply for an evisa
VISA REQUIRED:
- Tajikistan – 45 days evisa for BUT if you are arriving from a country which has a Tajik diplomatic mission, you must obtain a visa in advance, get your evisa here
- Turkmenistan
Southeast Asia
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FREE VISA:
- Brunei – 90 days
- Indonesia – 30 days – read this Indonesia tourist visa
- Malaysia – 90 days – Malaysia visa guide
- Philippines – 30 days or a visa on arrival for 59 days for $50 fee – Visa guide for the Philippines or read this retire in the Philippines
- Singapore – 90 days – Singapore visa guide
- Thailand – 30 days, maximum of visit is twice a year if not arriving by air – Thailand visa guide
VISA ON ARRIVAL/EVISA:
- Cambodia – 30 days, you can obtain either an evisa or do a visa on arrival – you can apply for an evisa here – Cambodia visa guide
- East Timor / Timor Leste: 30 days, visa on arrival, must arrive by air
- Laos – 30 visa on arrival or evisa – apply here or read this Laos visa guide
- Myanmar – 28 days evisa must arrive by air or through three land borders Tachileik, Myawaddy, and Kawthaung – you can apply for an evisa here – Myanmar visa guide
- Vietnam – 30 days evisa – you can apply for an evisa here – Vietnam visa for US citizens
For backpacking in Southeast Asia, you may find this article about Southeast Travel Budgetthat I wrote thoroughly, motorbiking in Vietnam, and Important things you need to know before arriving in Myanmar, hostels in Cambodia that I personally stayed, and best hostels in Vietnam.
South Asia
VISA ON ARRIVAL/EVISA:
- Bangladesh – 30 days
- India – 180 days evisa – YOU MAY APPLY FOR AN EVISA HERE – how to apply for an Indian visa online
- Maldives – 30 days extendable up to 90 days
- Nepal – 90 days visa on arrival
- Pakistan – evisa for 30 days, single entry – CHECK HOW TO APPLY
- Sri Lanka – 30 days evisa or visa on arrival – APPLY FOR AN EVISA HERE
VISA REQUIRED:
-
Bhutan
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West Asia / Middle East
FREE VISA:
- Armenia – 180 days
- Georgia – 365 days – recommended hostels in Georgia
- Israel – 90 days
- Palestine
VISA ON ARRIVAL/EVISA:
- Azerbaijan – 30 days, evisa, read this guide about Azerbaijan visa or you may apply for an evisa here
- Bahrain – 14 days evisa or visa on arrival, can be obtained online – you can apply for an evisa here
- Jordan – 30 days visa on arrival or apply for Jordan Pass to maximise your visa fee with the visit to popular places – apply here
- Kuwait – 90 days – a guide on how to get your Kuwait evisa – check for prices
- Lebanon – 30 days extendable up to additional 60 days
- Oman – 30 days evisa or visa on arrival, can be extended for another 30 days – you may get your evisa here
- Qatar – 30 days evisa or visa on arrival
- Saudi Arabia – 90 days stay for evisa that is valid for 1 year – apply here
- Turkey – 90 days evisa or visa on arrival – you can get your evisa here or read this Turkey visa guide
- United Arab Emirates – 30 days visa on arrival free of charge
VISA REQUIRED:
-
Iran
- Syria
- Yemen
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VISA GUIDE FOR EUROPE
Schengen States
FREE VISA:
US Passport holders can enter any Schengen state for 90 days on a 180-day period and can freely travel in this area without obtaining a new visa unless the visa is expired or the visa time is all consumed.
RELATED POST: Schengen Visa Travel Insurance
SCHENGEN MEMBERS:
| 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:
- Russia – you need an invitation letter from a person in Russia or a travel agency if you are applying for a visa, you can get it online too
VISA GUIDE FOR AFRICA
Central Africa
FREE VISA:
- Central African Republic – 180 days, international certificate of vaccination required
- Equatorial Guinea – mus have an international certificate of vaccination if travelling from a country with high risky of yellow fever
- Sao Tome and Principe – 15 days
VISA ON ARRIVAL/EVISA:
- Angola – 30 days evisa
- Gabon – visa on arrival or evisa, evisa must arrive via Libreville International Airport
- Rwanda – 30 days evisa or visa on arrival
VISA REQUIRED:
- Burundi
- Cameroon – international certificate of vaccination required
- Chad – international certificate of vaccination required
- Democratic Republic of the Congo – hotel reservation required and international certificate of vaccination
- South Sudan – two blank pages on passport required
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East Africa
FREE VISA:
- Mayotte – 90 days
- Mauritius – 90 dyas
VISA ON ARRIVAL/EVISA:
- Comoros – visa on arrival
- Djibouti – 31 days evisa – how to apply for Djibouti evisa
- 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 how to apply for an evisa online – check prices online
- Malawi – 90 days visa on arrival or evisa – check this guide on how to apply for Malawi visa online or apply here
- Mozambique – 30 days visa on arrival
- Reunion – 90 days
- Seychelles – 90 days visitor’s permit free of charge and can be extended for up to one year
- 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
VISA REQUIRED:
- Eritrea
North Africa
FREE VISA:
- Morocco – 90 days
- Tunisia – 90 days
VISA ON ARRIVAL/EVISA:
-
Egypt – 30 days visa on arrival or evisa – you can get your evisa here – or read this guide for Egypt visa application form
VISA REQUIRED:
- Algeria
- Libya
- Sudan
Western Sahara – undefined
South Africa
FREE VISA:
- Botswana – 90 days
- Lesotho – 14 days extendable up to 180 days
- Namibia – 90 days
- South Africa – 90 days
- Swaziland – 30 days
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West Africa
FREE VISA:
- Gambia – international certificate of vaccination required
- Senegal – 90 days international certificate of vaccination required
VISA ON ARRIVAL/EVISA:
- Benin – 30 days/8 days visa on arrival or evisa, international certificate of vaccination required
- Burkina Faso – 30 days visa on arrival
- Cape Verde – visa on arrival
- Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) – apply for an evisa valid for 30 days – Ivory Coast visa application online
- Guinea-Bissau – 90 days evisa or visa on arrival, must apply in advance online
- Mauritania – visa on arrival at Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport, international certificate of vaccination required
- Saint Helena – visitor’s pass required
- Togo – 7 days visa on arrival
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
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VISA GUIDE FOR AMERICA
While for the Americas, I’ve divided this section in three; north, central, and south of America.
Central America
FREE VISA:
- Barbados – 180 days
- Belize – 30 days, can be extended p to 6 months
- Costa Rica – 90 days, must pay a departure tax of $29
- El Salvador – 90 days
- Guatemala – 90 days, the exit fee is required when leaving by air
- Jamaica – 180 days
- Honduras – 90 days, depart airport tax must be paid in cash
- Nicaragua – 90 days, tourist card of $10 fee
- Panama – 90 – 180 days
VISA ON ARRIVAL/EVISA:
- Dominican Republic – 30 days, Tourist Card on arrival
North America
FREE VISA:
- 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 – you may obtain a Tourist card here
South America
FREE VISA:
- Argentina – 90 days, can be extended up to 180 days
- Aruba – 90 days
- Brazil – 90 days – starting June 17, 2019 –More tips on things to know before arriving in Brazil
- Chile – 90 days
- Colombia – 90 days, can be extended up to 180 days, must show a yellow fever vaccination record if coming from Brazil
- Curacao – 90 days
- Falkland Islands
- French Guiana – 90 days
- Ecuador – 90 days can be extended for another 90 days
- Guyana – 90 days
- Peru – 183, determined on arrival
- Uruguay – 90 days
VISA ON ARRIVAL/EVISA:
- Bolivia – 90 days visa on arrival, $160 fee for visa on arrival or pre-approved visa, the visa is valid for 10 years
- Paraguay – 90 days visa on arrival
- Suriname – 90 days, tourist card on arrival must obtain at Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport or online, read this guide on how to do it
VISA REQUIRED:
- Cuba – must get a Tourist Card that is valid for 30 days – get your Tourist Card
- Venezuela
VISA GUIDE FOR OCEANIA
FREE VISA:
- 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
- New Zealand – 90 days – must get an Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) prior to arrival starting October 10th 2019
- Palau – 365 days and legal to work
- Vanuatu – 30 days can be extended up to 120 days
VISA ON ARRIVAL/EVISA:
- Australia – must apply for an ETA(Electronic Travel Authority) online – valid for maximum of 90 days for every 365-day period
- Papua New Guinea – 60 days and extendable up to 30 more days – read our Papua New Guinea evisa guide or apply now
- 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, can be extended up to 90 days free of charge
VISA REQUIRED:
- Nauru
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OTHER TERRITORIES
Apart from all these visa free countries for US citizens, these US territories can also be entered without a visa or permit.
RELATED POST: Best 40L backpack for men and women
- United States Minor Outlying Islands – see the list here
- Puerto Rico, 1900
- Virgin Islands, 1936
- Guam, 1950
- Northern Marinas Islands, 1978
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TRAVEL TIPS
Here are my personal travel tips for travelling when it comes to travel arrangements online:
Accommodations:
- Booking.com – most of the time, your booking can be cancelled at no fee
- Agoda – popular around Europe
- HostelWorld – best search engine for backpacker’s youth hostel or affordable accommondation
- HotelsCombined – another search engine for accommodations, widely used and popular in Southeast Asia
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
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.
I hope you find this about visa free countries for US passport holders and other countries that a US citizen can go without a visa, with visa on arrival, plus the countries that require a visa.
DISCLAIMER
A Mary Road is not responsible for any situation where the reader was denied admittance to the above-listed countries. Please refer to our Disclosure. We advise you to always double check visa information as they change quite often to avoid any hassles.
ARE YOU ON PINTEREST? SAVE THIS FOR LATER READ:
Has the latest COVID-19 situation in the USA changed the ability to travel Visa free? If so, what countries remain Visa free, and which ones are no longer Visa free?