19 popular destinations you need a visa or ETA to travel to with an American passport
Editor's Note
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 require Americans to jump through some hoops to visit. As of January 2026, at least 20 countries require American citizens to obtain either a tourist visa or another form of electronic travel authorization prior to visiting, and that doesn't yet include Europe's ETIAS "visa" system, which rolls out later this year.
Note that this list does not include countries that the U.S. Department of State has advised U.S. citizens to avoid 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.
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
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
Brazil
Type: Brazilian eVisa
How to apply: Online through the Brazilian government-authorized website
Length of time: Valid for travel for up to 90 days within one year
Cost: $80.90
Processing time: Up to five business days
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
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 Authorisation
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
Maldives
Type: Maldives Visa
How to apply: Upon arrival
Length of time: 30 days, extendable up to 90 days
Cost: Free (however, proof of onward travel is required)
Processing time: N/A
Namibia
Type: Namib Visa
How to apply: Online through the Namibian Embassy
Length of time: Three months
Cost: $90 for single entry, $180 for multiple-entry good for three months
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 ($13) online. You must also pay an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy of 100 New Zealand dollars ($58)
Processing time: 72 hours
Seychelles
Type: Seychelles Travel Authorisation
How to apply: Online through the Seychelles' official government site
Length of time: Three months, extendable to 12 months
Cost: 10.90 euros ($13)
Processing time: One day
Sri Lanka
Type: Sri Lanka ETA
How to apply: Online at the Sri Lankan official government visa page
Length of time: Valid for stays up to 30 days
Cost: $50
Processing time: Three days
Tanzania
Type: Tanzanian visa
How to apply: Online through Tanzania immigration or in person at some points of entry
Length of time: Multiple entries for up to one year (note that U.S. citizens can not apply for a single-entry visa)
Cost: $100
Processing time: Up to 10 business days
United Kingdom
Type: Electronic Travel Authorisation (although not technically a visa, the ETA is similar to the U.S.'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 (more information)
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
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 single entry, $50 for multiple entries
Processing time: Three business days
Zambia and Zimbabwe
Type: KAZA UniVisa (Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area UniVisa; allows multiple entries to Zambia and Zimbabwe and day access to Botswana)
How to apply: On arrival at international ports of entry or via Zambia Immigration
Length of time: Up to 30 days within a 12-month period; not extendable
Cost: $50 cash or $50.55 credit card (it's advisable to carry cash as credit card processing isn't always available)
Processing time: N/A
Bottom line
Given that processing timelines, fees and even application requirements may 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.
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