Many U.S. citizens may want to take a vacation without going through the hassles and costs of applying for a travel visa.
There are many great places to visit where you will not need a visa at all, as well as others where you can visit for up to ninety days without a visa. Finally, some of the countries ask you to apply for your visa immediately upon entry.
With the talk recently about the European Union Parliament imposing a visa requirement for US travelers (since in 2014 the US denied several countries in Europe to their visa waiver program), it could mean in the future you will need a travel visa for all U.K. destinations.
If you want to travel to the UK, it might be a good idea to speed up your travel plans to avoid the extra visa requirements.
Currently they allow up to 90 days without any requirements, but if the policy change goes through that would change.
It would likely mean that a visa would be required upon entry, which would come with a processing fee, probably under $100 like many countries are already doing.
Below we will take a closer look at the best visa-free travel destinations.
Before we talk about the places you could go, let’s talk about the other common option for planning your vacation.
Cruise ships are one option that allow you to travel outside the USA without applying for a travel visa to any of your vacation destinations.
As long as you are willing to stay aboard ship while other travelers may be visiting the attractions when the ship is in port, you wouldn’t need any travel visas.
The cruise lines sometimes have their own requirements for documentation, ID and visas, which you can inquire about with the cruise line when booking the trip.
If the cruise line allows you to travel without a visa, then some of the destinations will also allow you to visit on land without any requirements for the short length of stay the cruise ship will provide.
After all, you will have to be back aboard ship before they prepare to resume the travel itinerary and the cruise line wants to make your vacation fun and eventful, not full of visa paperwork.
Make sure you ask all your questions before paying for your tickets to ensure the trip will work for you.
If floating around on the ocean isn’t the ideal vacation for you, next we talk about some great places you can fly to, and some you can even travel to by land.
Destinations allowing an unlimited stay without a visa
If you are looking for an extra long vacation, or somewhere you can spend half the year, perhaps in semi-retirement or working a seasonal career, then these places afford the most travel freedom and have the least requirements for visas.
U.S. citizens are also of course able to enjoy the many territories owned by the USA as an unlimited visa-free vacation destination, such as the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands; also don’t forget Hawaii because, even though it’s officially a state, it’s one of the most loved vacation spots.
1. Marshall Islands
Comprised of volcanic islands, this is a popular diving destination with a World War II ship graveyard where there are many derelict ships to explore.
It is most famous for being a nuclear test site back in the forties and fifties. It was once a U.S. territory and still today affords some benefits through a unique agreement made with the U.S. allowing it a ZIP code, regular postal rates and citizens are allowed to work in the U.S. without a green card.
2. Micronesia
This region is is made up of four island groups and consists of more than 600 total islands, attracting divers and those interested in archaeology due to its ancient ruins, sunken basalt temples and burial vaults. It is also a former territory, affording it access to U.S. aid and services.
3.Svalbard
Located between Norway and the North Pole, this icy destination affords visitors rare sights from nature, from the polar bears and arctic foxes, to one of the best viewing spots for the Northern Lights on the planet.
Destinations allowing visa-free stays up to 1 year
We found some more destinations that will allow you to spend as much time in a year as you like, with very little requirements for visas.
These are potential destinations for buying vacation homes or planning longer trips.
4. Albania
Neighboring Greece, this small country offers unique attractions dating back even earlier than the 13th Century.
Famous for its many castles and national historic museum, this is a popular place for archaeologists and historians alike.
The best attraction is the “city of a thousand windows,” also known as Berat, originally a 13th Century castle with many mosques and churches.
5. Georgia
Found intersecting Europe and Asia, this former Soviet Republic nation offers many caves, monasteries and is an ancient wine-growing region.
Tbilisi, the capital, offers very diverse architecture, including some very interesting maze-like cobblestone streets.
6. Palau
Once a U.S. territory but declared an independent country in 1981 and home of a World War II Japanese communications center, this country consists of over 500 small islands and is one of the most amazing destinations for viewing marine life, with the Palau Aquarium and Jellyfish Lake being some of the main marine attractions.
7. Bahamas
While the Bahamas actually only allow you to stay for up to 8 months without a travel visa, it is one of the most popular vacation destinations to both US citizens and travelers abroad.
A coral-based archipelago consisting of over 700 islands in the Atlantic Ocean, it attracts scuba divers and snorkelers to the Andros Barrier Reef and a plethora of other attractions.
Destinations for visa-free vacations as long 180 days
These other great travel destinations will allow U.S. citizens to visit for longer than most people have available vacation days.
They can also be a great place for purchasing summer homes; of course, check with each country about their rules.
8. Dominica
Not to mix up with Dominican Republic, which is a different country within the Caribbean as well.
Volcanic steam-covered lakes provide natural hot springs that attract people for a nice warm vacation.
Boasting one of the most massive waterfalls next to the great lakes, although it is much skinnier, the Trafalgar Falls is 65 meters tall, towering over Niagara Falls by some 15 meters.
9. Jamaica
The birthplace of Reggae music and home of the famous Bob Marley Museum in the capital city of Kingston, Jamaica is famous for its diving and snorkeling destinations, and is a wonderful vacation destination with its tropical rainforest climate.
10. Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands consist of three islands in British Overseas Territory, a great destination for deep sea fishing as well as home to some amazing wildlife from red-footed boobies and other sea birds, as well as endangered species of iguanas.
11. Montserrat
A rare find and souvenir collectors’ must have, this is one of the few places in the world where you can bring home black sand while exploring the coral reefs, caves along the shore and many cliffs.
The south areas are mostly destroyed from the volcanic eruptions in the 1990s but you can still enjoy all the sights the north side has to offer.
12. Bermuda
Home of the Bermuda Triangle, make sure you don’t disappear on this vacation or it could be your last!
Many people are attracted to explore the strange happenings and many missing air and sea vessels that have been claimed by this energetically charged area in the Atlantic Ocean.
The northernmost tip of the Bermuda Triangle is where the country of Bermuda is found.
Known for its pink sand beaches and the National Museum and Royal Naval Dockyard, there are many reasons to visit the country of Bermuda without searching for lost ships in the Triangle.
13. Peru
Home of an ancient Incan city, Machu Picchu this is a popular tourist destination due to its pronounced place in human history, filled with some of the world’s greatest archaeological sites.
Neighbor to one of the world’s top-rated travel destinations, Brazil.
14. Armenia
Roman roots in this country have led to it being a major religious destination where pilgrimages are made.
Many are attracted by the famous Orthodox cathedrals and temples.
15. Canada
Home to countless tourist destinations, this northern neighbor has more land to explore than the U.S. with a much smaller population, making it a great place to explore nature.
We will go deeper into all the great vacation spots of our North American neighbors in another articles.
16. Mexico
If you are feeling cold, why not make like the birds and fly south? More on the great travel destinations south of the border in our next articles.
17. Panama
This Spanish-speaking country is a popular destination for its famous Panama Canal, one of the more impressive feats of human engineering to date.
This is our first post in this blog series. Hope you enjoy it!
Stay in touch. Soon we will be posting more interesting stuff!
What is your favorite destination, by the way?
1 Comment
Never heard of Svalbard. I already want to go there. Thanks guys for a great idea 🙂