Countries That Require a Visa for US Citizens — Complete 2026 Guide
Holding a US passport opens most of the world — but not all of it. This page answers the question "what countries require a visa for US citizens?" with a complete, regularly updated list. The countries that require an advance embassy visa are listed first, followed by eVisa destinations and the much longer list of visa-free destinations for Americans.
Countries That Require a Visa for US Citizens
For the destinations below, US citizens must apply for a visa in advance — usually at an embassy or consulate, and processing can take from a few days to several weeks. Start your application early and check the destination country page for details.
| Country | Requirement |
|---|---|
| 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | Visa required |
| 🇩🇿 Algeria | Visa required |
| 🇧🇾 Belarus | Visa required |
| 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | Visa required |
| 🇹🇩 Chad | Visa required |
| 🇨🇳 China | Visa required |
| 🇨🇬 Congo | Visa required |
| 🇪🇷 Eritrea | Visa required |
| 🇮🇷 Iran | Visa required |
| 🇱🇷 Liberia | Visa required |
| 🇲🇱 Mali | Visa required |
| 🇳🇷 Nauru | Visa required |
| 🇳🇪 Niger | Visa required |
| 🇰🇵 North Korea | Visa required |
| 🇷🇺 Russia | Visa required |
| 🇸🇩 Sudan | Visa required |
| 🇸🇷 Suriname | Visa required |
| 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | Visa required |
| 🇻🇪 Venezuela | Visa required |
| 🇾🇪 Yemen | Visa required |
eVisa and Electronic Authorization Destinations for US Citizens
These countries do not require an embassy visit but do require an online application before travel. An eVisa or ETA is typically approved within a few days, so apply at least a week before departure.
| Country | Requirement |
|---|---|
| 🇦🇺 Australia | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇧🇭 Bahrain | Visa on arrival |
| 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | Visa on arrival |
| 🇧🇯 Benin | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇧🇹 Bhutan | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇧🇴 Bolivia | Visa on arrival |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | Visa on arrival |
| 🇧🇮 Burundi | Visa on arrival |
| 🇰🇭 Cambodia | Visa on arrival |
| 🇨🇲 Cameroon | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇰🇲 Comoros | Visa on arrival |
| 🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇨🇺 Cuba | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇩🇯 Djibouti | Visa on arrival |
| 🇨🇩 DR Congo | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇪🇬 Egypt | Visa on arrival |
| 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | Visa on arrival |
| 🇬🇦 Gabon | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇬🇲 Gambia | Visa on arrival |
| 🇬🇭 Ghana | Visa on arrival |
| 🇬🇳 Guinea | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | Visa on arrival |
| 🇮🇳 India | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇮🇩 Indonesia | Visa on arrival |
| 🇮🇶 Iraq | Visa on arrival |
| 🇯🇴 Jordan | Visa on arrival |
| 🇰🇪 Kenya | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇰🇼 Kuwait | Visa on arrival |
| 🇱🇦 Laos | Visa on arrival |
| 🇱🇧 Lebanon | Visa on arrival |
| 🇱🇾 Libya | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇲🇬 Madagascar | Visa on arrival |
| 🇲🇻 Maldives | Visa on arrival |
| 🇲🇷 Mauritania | Visa on arrival |
| 🇲🇲 Myanmar | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇳🇵 Nepal | Visa on arrival |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇳🇬 Nigeria | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇴🇲 Oman | Visa on arrival |
| 🇵🇰 Pakistan | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇷🇼 Rwanda | Visa on arrival |
| 🇼🇸 Samoa | Visa on arrival |
| 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Visa on arrival |
| 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | Visa on arrival |
| 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | Visa on arrival |
| 🇸🇴 Somalia | Visa on arrival |
| 🇸🇸 South Sudan | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | Visa on arrival |
| 🇸🇾 Syria | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇹🇿 Tanzania | Visa on arrival |
| 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | Visa on arrival |
| 🇹🇬 Togo | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇹🇴 Tonga | Visa on arrival |
| 🇹🇻 Tuvalu | Visa on arrival |
| 🇺🇬 Uganda | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam | eVisa / ETA |
| 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | Visa on arrival |
Visa-Free Destinations for US Citizens
US passport holders can visit the following destinations without any visa at all. The number shown is the maximum visa-free stay in days.
- 🇦🇱Albania360 days
- 🇦🇩Andorra90 days
- 🇦🇴Angola30 days
- 🇦🇬Antigua and Barbuda180 days
- 🇦🇷Argentina90 days
- 🇦🇲Armenia180 days
- 🇦🇹Austria90 days
- 🇧🇸Bahamas240 days
- 🇧🇧Barbados180 days
- 🇧🇪Belgium90 days
- 🇧🇿Belize180 days
- 🇧🇦Bosnia and Herzegovina90 days
- 🇧🇼Botswana90 days
- 🇧🇳Brunei90 days
- 🇧🇬Bulgaria90 days
- 🇨🇦Canada180 days
- 🇨🇻Cape Verde30 days
- 🇨🇱Chile90 days
- 🇨🇴Colombia
- 🇨🇷Costa Rica180 days
- 🇭🇷Croatia90 days
- 🇨🇾Cyprus90 days
- 🇨🇿Czechia90 days
- 🇩🇰Denmark90 days
- 🇩🇲Dominica180 days
- 🇩🇴Dominican Republic
- 🇪🇨Ecuador90 days
- 🇸🇻El Salvador180 days
- 🇪🇪Estonia90 days
- 🇸🇿Eswatini30 days
- 🇫🇯Fiji120 days
- 🇫🇮Finland90 days
- 🇫🇷France90 days
- 🇬🇪Georgia360 days
- 🇩🇪Germany90 days
- 🇬🇷Greece90 days
- 🇬🇩Grenada90 days
- 🇬🇹Guatemala90 days
- 🇬🇾Guyana90 days
- 🇭🇹Haiti90 days
- 🇭🇳Honduras90 days
- 🇭🇺Hungary90 days
- 🇮🇸Iceland90 days
- 🇮🇪Ireland90 days
- 🇮🇱Israel90 days
- 🇮🇹Italy90 days
- 🇯🇲Jamaica180 days
- 🇯🇵Japan90 days
- 🇰🇿Kazakhstan30 days
- 🇰🇮Kiribati90 days
- 🇰🇬Kyrgyzstan60 days
- 🇱🇻Latvia90 days
- 🇱🇸Lesotho
- 🇱🇮Liechtenstein90 days
- 🇱🇹Lithuania90 days
- 🇱🇺Luxembourg90 days
- 🇲🇼Malawi30 days
- 🇲🇾Malaysia
- 🇲🇹Malta90 days
- 🇲🇭Marshall Islands
- 🇲🇺Mauritius90 days
- 🇲🇽Mexico180 days
- 🇫🇲Micronesia30 days
- 🇲🇩Moldova90 days
- 🇲🇨Monaco90 days
- 🇲🇳Mongolia90 days
- 🇲🇪Montenegro90 days
- 🇲🇦Morocco90 days
- 🇲🇿Mozambique30 days
- 🇳🇦Namibia90 days
- 🇳🇱Netherlands90 days
- 🇳🇮Nicaragua90 days
- 🇲🇰North Macedonia90 days
- 🇳🇴Norway90 days
- 🇵🇼Palau360 days
- 🇵🇦Panama180 days
- 🇵🇾Paraguay90 days
- 🇵🇪Peru180 days
- 🇵🇭Philippines30 days
- 🇵🇱Poland90 days
- 🇵🇹Portugal90 days
- 🇶🇦Qatar90 days
- 🇷🇴Romania90 days
- 🇸🇲San Marino90 days
- 🇸🇹São Tomé and Príncipe15 days
- 🇸🇳Senegal90 days
- 🇷🇸Serbia90 days
- 🇸🇨Seychelles90 days
- 🇸🇬Singapore
- 🇸🇰Slovakia90 days
- 🇸🇮Slovenia90 days
- 🇿🇦South Africa90 days
- 🇰🇷South Korea90 days
- 🇪🇸Spain90 days
- 🇸🇪Sweden90 days
- 🇨🇭Switzerland90 days
- 🇹🇼Taiwan90 days
- 🇹🇯Tajikistan30 days
- 🇹🇭Thailand60 days
- 🇹🇹Trinidad and Tobago90 days
- 🇹🇳Tunisia120 days
- 🇹🇷Turkey
- 🇺🇦Ukraine90 days
- 🇦🇪United Arab Emirates30 days
- 🇺🇾Uruguay90 days
- 🇻🇺Vanuatu120 days
- 🇿🇲Zambia90 days
Understanding US Passport Visa Requirements
Visa requirements for US citizens change more often than most travelers expect. Countries introduce eVisas, join or leave waiver schemes, and adjust maximum stays every year. That is why this list is generated from a structured visa database rather than written once by hand — and why you should always confirm with the official government site of your destination before booking non-refundable travel.
What about visa on arrival?
A number of countries let US citizens obtain a visa when landing at the airport. This is convenient, but bring the exact fee in cash and any required photos or documents. Where available, our country pages note whether a visa on arrival or an eVisa is the better route.
Passport validity rules
Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond your entry date. Some also require one or two blank pages. Even when a destination is visa-free, an expiring passport can get you denied boarding.
Planning a multi-country trip?
Use the visa checker to check each leg of your itinerary in seconds, or browse the visa free countries list to discover destinations your passport unlocks. Traveling to the US with a foreign passport instead? See the Visa Waiver Program countries page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which countries require a visa for US citizens?
As of 2026, US citizens need a traditional visa for countries including China, Russia, and several Central African nations. Many other destinations, such as India and Australia, require an eVisa or electronic authorization rather than an embassy visa. The full list above is updated regularly.
How many countries can US citizens visit without a visa?
The US passport is one of the strongest in the world, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to more than 180 destinations. Most of Europe, the Americas, Japan, South Korea, and much of Southeast Asia are visa-free for American tourists.
Do US citizens need a visa for Europe?
No visa is needed for short tourist stays in the Schengen Area — US citizens can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. However, the EU's ETIAS electronic travel authorization is being introduced, so check the latest requirement before departure.
Do US citizens need a visa for China?
Yes. US citizens generally need to apply for a Chinese visa in advance, although short transit-without-visa schemes exist in certain cities. Check the China visa requirements page for the latest rules and application channels.
Check Your Exact Visa Requirement
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check if you need a visaLast data update: 2026-07-26 · Disclaimer