What to know about traveling on an American passport
Most travelers have almost no say over which passport they hold, but American citizens are lucky in that their travel documents open a lot of doors.
According to rankings from Henley & Partners, a citizenship advisory firm, the U.S. passport ranks seventh in the world when it comes to access. Americans can get into 186 international destinations without applying for additional visas in advance. Passports from New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and Belgium have the same level of access.
“The U.S. is still an incredibly strong passport,” said Dominic Volek, group head of private clients for Henley & Partners. He added that powerful passports make it easier for their holders to travel both for business and leisure.
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Weaker passports more frequently require their holders to apply for visas in advance, which can be an expensive and time-consuming process.
“I know this from personal experience. I have a South African passport. I can’t just get on a plane tonight and fly to Europe or the U.K.” or many other countries, Volek said. “The U.S. visa costs me $160. … If I’m a family of four, that’s another $600 toward my travel costs.”
10 most powerful passports
According to Henley & Partners, passports from these countries have the greatest level of visa-free or visa-on-arrival access.
Visa-free means travelers can enter other countries without any additional paperwork, while visa-on-arrival means travelers do not have to apply for entry prior to departure, but will be given a visa by customs officials when they land.
- Japan (access to 193 destinations).
- South Korea and Singapore (access to 192 destinations).
- Germany and Spain (access to 190 destinations).
- Finland, Italy and Luxembourg (access to 189 destinations).
- The Netherlands, Austria, Denmark and Sweden (access to 188 destinations).
- The United Kingdom, France, Ireland and Portugal (Access to 187 destinations).
- The United States, Belgium, Switzerland, Norway and New Zealand (access to 186 destinations).
- The Czech Republic, Canada, Australia, Greece and Malta (access to 185 destinations).
- Hungary (access to 183 destinations).
- Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia (access to 182 destinations).
10 least powerful passports
- Afghanistan (access to 27 destinations).
- Iraq (access to 29 destinations).
- Syria (access to 30 destinations).
- Pakistan (access to 32 destinations).
- Yemen (access to 34 destinations).
- Somalia (access to 35 destinations).
- Nepal and the Palestinian Territories (access to 38 destinations).
- North Korea (access to 40 destinations).
- Kosovo, Libya and Bangladesh (access to 41 destinations).
- Sudan, Sri Lanka, Lebanon and Democratic Republic of Congo (access to 42 destinations).
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Traveling with a US passport
With its number seven ranking, Henley & Partners said a U.S. passport is in the top tier for access and is highly desirable for foreign nationals if they have an opportunity to qualify for U.S. citizenship.
While COVID-19 restrictions temporarily made it more difficult for Americans to travel to Europe and other countries, Volek said the U.S. passport has regained much of the strength it lost earlier in the pandemic.
Americans can travel to many popular tourist destinations without applying in advance. Especially this summer, with the dollar and euro near parity, Europe has been a particularly attractive place for Americans to visit.
For the places Americans do need visas to visit, the State Department recommends contacting the embassy of the country you’re heading to for more information about fees and the application process. China, India and Russia are among the destinations that require American citizens to apply for tourist visas in advance of their travel.
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