Final Up to date
With Covid and journey restrictions beginning to really feel extra like yesterday’s information, journey is lastly choosing up after two years of being positioned on an indefinite maintain. Whether or not it’s home or worldwide tourism, demand is again to pre-pandemic ranges, and tens of millions of People are desperate to jet off to nearest paradise vacation spot.

Even because the world reopens, travelling internationally nonetheless comes with its personal set of non-Covid associated guidelines vacationers should observe. These can vary from holding a passport that won’t expire throughout the subsequent six months, to presenting proof of getting sufficient monetary sources and insurance coverage overlaying the entire length of the journey.
These are a few of the commonest necessities imposed on vacationers by overseas international locations, with the goal of strengthening their exterior borders and guaranteeing that these making use of for an entry allow are real guests. Naturally, U.S. residents stay topic to those similar entry guidelines, which might differ rather a lot relying on the vacation spot.

Fortunately, there are a handful of locations the place U.S. residents get pleasure from (far) higher privileges, together with being allowed to journey with no passport – and no, we aren’t about to remind you that Hawaii and Alaska, albeit distant, are nonetheless states throughout the Federation. Surprisingly, holding an ID card apart from a passport can nonetheless get you a lot farther away.
Extra particularly, there are at the moment 7 locations People can entry simply as easily as coming into their very own nation, with no extreme forms! Able to learn how far your standing as a U.S. citizen can take you? Right here’s the entire checklist of nations and territories accepting People, no matter being passport holders:
Worldwide Locations
Mexico

- Sure sorts of ID are legitimate for land crossings
- Air arrivals should nonetheless carry a passport always
A bit known-fact amongst vacationers, Mexico the truth is permits U.S. residents to enter the nation with out holding a passport, so long as they journey by way of land. As a way to be eligible, People should maintain both a passport card, a Trusted Traveler ID (NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST playing cards), or a state-issued Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL).
Equally to a passport, a U.S. passport card consists of its holder’s title, picture, birthplace and date of delivery, a novel identification quantity for the aim of verification, and a difficulty and expiry dates. The large distinction is they’re much more affordable than common passports, costing solely $30 to use as an alternative of $130.

Trusted Traveler Playing cards, alternatively, are paperwork issued to ‘low-risk vacationers’ for expedited clearance when touring between the US and Mexico. Alternatively, these residing in Michigan, Vermont, Minnesota, New York and Washington can apply for an EDL within the unlikely occasion they’re driving all the best way South to Mexico.
For these within the Southern U.S. hitting the highway this summer time, there are innumerable locations in Mexico in shut proximity to the border. One in all our favorites embrace the seaside retreat of Puerto Peñasco, a metropolis situated within the state of Sonora, on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, and solely a brief three and a half hour drive away from Phoenix, Arizona.
Different border cities embrace the colourful Tijuana, 20 miles south of San Diego, and Ciudad Juárez, a part of a trans-border agglomeration with the Texan metropolis of El Paso, although no U.S. state bordering Mexico points EDLs as of now. Though Mexico permits People to enter with different types of ID by way of land, passports are nonetheless the only valid document for air arrivals.
Canada

- A number of ID playing cards are accepted for each land and air arrivals
- 180-day entry allow nonetheless applies to U.S. residents
Sharing the longest worldwide border on the earth, the US and Canada have a number of bilateral agreements that permit facilitated journey for every others’ residents. In contrast to all different foreigners, who both want a vacationer visa or a Journey Authorization to enter Canada, People can go to the nation just by presenting a legitimate ID card.
This features a passport, a passport card, or a NEXUS card: these can all be used on any transportation mode, reminiscent of flights, vehicles, ferries, trains, and buses. Conversely, Enhanced Driver’s Licenses or FAST playing cards are solely accepted at land and sea borders. People are reminded they’ll keep in Canada for as much as 180 days, per entry, whatever the ID they use.

Numerous locations in Canada are situated near the U.S. border, or a stone’s throw away from a quantity U.S. cities, making cross-border journeys extremely simple. A primary instance of that’s the Niagara Falls, a world surprise shared by each international locations and sandwiched between Buffalo, within the state of New York, and Niagara Falls (town), in Ontario.
Spending a protracted weekend within the metropolitan Vancouver, or any of the quaint, historic cities which might be a part of Canada’s British Columbia province, can also be fairly possible for residents of the U.S. state of Washington, whereas New England, particularly the states of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine get pleasure from direct highway hyperlinks to the French-English bilingual Quebec.
Different U.S. Territories

- Nationwide U.S. issued ID playing cards are legitimate documentation in all transportation modes
- Beginning Could 3, 2023, REAL ID will probably be required
Past the mainland, the U.S. has a group of unincorporated territories with their very own distinct tradition and nationwide identities. Regardless of not being thought-about U.S. states, these abroad areas are an integral a part of the nation, that means all People touring from the continent are welcome – with or with out passports.
When touring from the U.S. to any of those territories, People are solely required to current a legitimate ID. Beginning Could 3, 2023, all air vacationers 18 years of age and older will probably be required to current REAL ID for flying throughout the U.S., reminiscent of a verifiable, REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, a state-issued EDL, or strange U.S. passports.
The U.S. territories accepting nationwide ID playing cards for journey are:
Puerto Rico

One in all America’s favourite Caribbean locations, Puerto Rico has lately dropped all Covid vaccination and testing necessities for mainland arrivals, permitting home guests to enter restriction-free. Moreover, as it’s an unincorporated U.S. territory, the island doesn’t anticipate mainland People to hold a passport for identification.
A number of nonstop flights to Puerto Rico can be found from each main U.S. metropolis, together with Austin, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Forth Value, Miami, New York and Philadelphia, simply to call a number of. A number of the most well-known landmarks embrace the colourful Outdated City In San Juan and Spanish colonial fortresses.
U.S. Virgin Islands

- St John
- St. Croix
- St. Thomas
Like Puerto Rico, the triad of Caribbean islands that make up the U.S. Virgin Islands archipelago are open with no well being necessities. Fortunately, there are direct flights to St. John, St. Croix, and St. Thomas from cities like New York, Miami, Washington, Chicago, Orlando, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas, Baltimore (and lots of extra).
Proper now, all that People want when touring to U.S. Virgin Islands is a driver’s license, or other state photo identity cards issued by the Division of Motor Automobiles, when not in possession of different journey paperwork. From Could 2023, REAL ID necessities will begin making use of to air passengers visiting the archipelago.
Guam

Ever heard of the small, picturesque Micronesian island that’s Guam? It could be tougher, and considerably costlier to go to than different locations on this checklist, however it’s yet one more tropical hotspot permitting U.S. residents to go to fully visa-free, and with out requesting new passports prematurely: nationwide IDs are greater than sufficient.
A U.S. abroad territory, it’s residence to a few of the nation’s most lovely seashores, extremely well-preserved Spanish-era monuments and different websites of historic relevance, reminiscent of Asan Seaside, the place essential World Struggle II (WWII) occasions befell. Direct flights are solely obtainable from Honolulu with United Airways.
Northern Mariana Islands

A bunch of 14 islands in whole, out of which solely 3 are developed vacationer locations (Saipan, Tinian and Rota), the U.S. Northern Mariana territory boasts sandy seashores, clear waters which might be excellent for swimming, quite a few dive websites and wildlife sanctuaries – a phenomenal setting that hosted the Battle of Saipan, one of many bloodiest in WWII.
The one manner for People to achieve the Northern Marianas touring on a verifiable driver’s license or different equal ID is taking a flight from the mainland U.S. to Honolulu, then onward to Guam, and at last to Saipan Worldwide Airport, serving the island of Saipan. All different flights depart from mainland China, Hong Kong, or South Korea.
American Samoa

- Tutuila
- Aunuʻu
- Ofu
- Olosega
- Taʻū
- Swains (Uninhabited)
- Rose Atoll (Uninhabited)
The American Samoa is a collective of seven South Pacific Islands graced with volcano views, tropical moist forests, and immaculate seashores the place overtourism doesn’t appear to be a priority. Pago Pago, the regional capital, gives the American Samoa’s solely entry to the skin world, with direct flights to and from Honolulu with Hawaiian Airways.
As a U.S. unincorporated territory, these islands rely closely on home tourism, with a majority of points of interest centered within the capital and surrounding villages. From Pago Pago Worldwide Airport, guests can fly to Fiti’uta, within the island of Taʻū, and Ofu, the place secluded seashores and spectacular nature may be discovered.
Backside Line

As Guam solely has home connections to different mainland U.S. cities by way of Hawaii, and home flights to the Northern Mariana Islands, in flip, solely depart by way of Guam, U.S. residents flying with out their passports should ebook tickets that don’t embrace airside transit, or stopovers, in any territories that aren’t inside the US.
For extra data on journey documentation, please go to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) web site, the place official steerage is offered. When going overseas, People are suggested to hold legitimate passports, even when different agreements are in place, as it’s essentially the most well known doc for worldwide journey.
Learn Extra:
Journey Insurance coverage That Covers Covid-19 For 2022
CDC Lowers Covid Well being Danger For six Extra Nations
Bali: Prime 10 Issues Vacationers Want To Know Earlier than Visiting
South Africa Removes All Entry Necessities
Canadian Authorities Says All Canceled Flights Will Be Refunded Regardless Of Motive
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Disclaimer: Present journey guidelines and restrictions can change with out discover. The choice to journey is finally your duty. Contact your consulate and/or native authorities to verify your nationality’s entry and/or any adjustments to journey necessities earlier than touring. Journey Off Path doesn’t endorse touring towards authorities advisories
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