15 places you need a visa or ETA to travel to with an American passport

If you hold an American passport, you're probably used to traveling internationally with relative ease. You may be surprised, then, to learn that several countries still require Americans to jump through some hoops to visit. As of May 2025, at least 15 countries require American citizens to obtain either a tourist visa or another form of electronic travel authorization prior to visiting.

Note that this list does not cover countries that the U.S. Department of State has advised U.S. citizens to refrain from traveling to by issuing Level 4 travel advisories. It also doesn't include destinations that are not currently issuing visas for Americans or that TPG has not recently or routinely covered.

Here's what you need to know.

UK

Type: Electronic Travel Authorization. Although not technically a visa, the ETA is similar to the U.S.' own Electronic System for Travel Authorization program, and all Americans need one to visit the U.K.
How to apply: Online or through the app. Find more information here.
Length of time: Valid for multiple visits of up to six months over two years.
Cost: 16 British pounds (about $22).
Processing time: Up to three business days.

Australia

Type: Australian Electronic Travel Authority.
How to apply: With the Australian ETA app or online through the Australian government.
Length of time: Valid for unlimited stays up to three months each within a 12-month period.
Cost: 20 Australian dollars (about $13).
Processing time: Within one business day.

Pakistan

Type: Visa prior to arrival.
How to apply: Online through the Pakistani government. Find more information here.
Length of time: Valid for multiple visits within 90 days.
Cost: N/A.
Processing time: One business day.

Bhutan

Type: Bhutanese visa.
How to apply: Online through the Bhutan government.
Length of time: Valid for the scheduled travel period; airport tickets cannot be purchased until visa clearance is received.
Cost: $40 one-time application fee plus a Sustainable Development Fee of $100 per day per adult ($50 per day per child age 6 to 11; free for children under 6).
Processing time: Up to five business days.

Bolivia

Type: Bolivian tourist visa.
How to apply: Per the U.S. Embassy in Bolivia, you can also apply in person at a Bolivian Embassy or Consulate in the U.S. or at any land or air border.
Length of time: Valid for visits up to 30 days each for 90 days total in one year.
Cost: $160.
Processing time: N/A.

Brazil

Type: Brazilian eVisa, required as of April 2025.
How to apply: Online through the Brazilian government-authorized website.
Length of time: Valid for travel up to 90 days in one year.
Cost: $80.90.
Processing time: Up to five business days.

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China

Type: Chinese tourist visa.
How to apply: Online through the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs before applying at a Chinese embassy or consulate in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco or Washington, D.C.
Length of time: Typically up to 60 days per visit over a period of three months or more.
Cost: $140.
Processing time: Four business days.

Related: Americans no longer need a visa to visit China for up to 10 days if they're transiting to another destination

Egypt

Type: Egyptian eVisa.
How to apply: Online through the Egyptian Ministry of Interior or on arrival at Egyptian airports.
Length of time: Valid for visits up to 30 days over a 90-day period.
Cost: $25 for a one-time entry, $60 for a multiple-entry visa.
Processing time: Two to seven business days.

India

Type: Indian eVisa.
How to apply: Online through the Indian Bureau of Immigration.
Length of time: Valid for visits up to 30 days over one year.
Cost: $10 to $80, depending on time of visit and length of validity.
Processing time: 72 hours.

Ghana

Type: Ghanaian Visa.
How to apply: Online through the Embassy of Ghana.
Length of time: Valid for one visit up to 30 days over a period of three months, or multiple visits over a longer period.
Cost: $60 for a single-entry visa, $100 for multiple entries.
Processing time: 15 to 20 business days from receipt of hard-copy application.

Indonesia

Type: Indonesian visa on arrival.
How to apply: If your passport has at least two blank pages and is valid for at least six months beyond the date of your arrival in Indonesia, you can apply for a visa on arrival at some international airports.
Length of time: Valid for one trip (up to 30 days long) within 90 days of issuance.
Cost: 500,000 Indonesian rupiahs (about $30).
Processing time: N/A.

Kenya

Type: Kenyan Electronic Travel Authorization.
How to apply: Online through the Directorate of Immigration Services.
Length of time: Valid for 90 days from the date of issuance.
Cost: $30.
Processing time: Three business days.

Myanmar

Type: Myanmar tourist eVisa.
How to apply: Online through Myanmar's Ministry of Immigration and Population.
Length of time: Valid for travel up to 28 days, from 90 days of issuance.
Cost: $50.
Processing time: Three business days.

New Zealand

Type: New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority.
How to apply: Online through New Zealand Immigration or on the app.
Length of time: Valid for travel up to three months, from two years of issuance.
Cost: 17 New Zealand dollars ($10) on the app, 23 New Zealand dollars ($14) online. You must also pay an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy of 100 New Zealand dollars ($59).
Processing time: 72 hours.

Vietnam

Type: Vietnamese electronic visa.
How to apply: Online through the Vietnamese government.
Length of time: Valid for single or multiple entries within 90 days of issuance.
Cost: $25 for one entry, $50 for multiple entries.
Processing time: Three business days.

Bottom line

Given that processing timelines, fees and even application requirements change over time, we recommend checking your country of interest ahead of travel to ensure you are up to date with the latest processes. And remember that most countries require at least six months of validity on your passport, so get those passports renewed ahead of time.

We also suggest bookmarking the State Department's page for each country — as it offers information related to visas, safety and more — and enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. For more information, refer to the U.S. Embassy associated with each international destination.

Related reading:

• When and how to renew your passport
• Passport mistakes to avoid
• Everything you need to know about emergency passports