- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in a new window)
- Click to share on Twitter (Opens in a new window)
- Click here to share on LinkedIn (Opens in a new window)
- Click to email a friend (Opens in a new window)
(CNN) - An American passport opens doors.
According to the Henley Passport index, which tracks the classification of passports, Americans have access to 184 countries without a visa, which makes their passport the sixth most powerful in the world.
That freedom and flexibility is what some call “passport privilege,” and could help explain the record numbers of U.S. citizens who traveled to other countries in 2018.
READ: These are the most powerful passports in the world
It's just getting easier to know other places. Even countries with historically strict controls in the visa process are inviting tourists to visit them. In Saudi Arabia, a new visa program is designed to increase tourism, while Brazil has completely eliminated entry requirements for US citizens.
But paperwork and bureaucracy still entangle American travelers at some borders of the world.
For example, they must obtain their visa at a Chinese consulate before walking through the Great Wall or exploring Forbidden City. In Bhutan there is a daily rate and strict guidelines to keep tourist numbers low.
And from Cuban beaches to UNESCO heritage sites in North Korea, some important places in the world may be difficult or impossible for Americans to visit.
MIRA: The most (and least) powerful passports in Latin America
The US government prevents its own citizens from entering the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea, while other countries set strict rules that keep many Americans away. In Iran, the US Department of State You have assigned your most severe travel notice (official risk assessments are rated on a scale of one to four).
Be careful with these borders, because the fate of the US passport can end there.
North Korea
Lake Chonji lake or 'Lake of Heaven' is located in the crater of Mount Paektu, considered the spiritual birthplace of the Korean nation. (Credit: Ed Jones / AFP / Getty Images)
The coastal plains crumble into rocky peaks in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the only country in the world that the US government. prohibits its citizens from visiting.
The isolated nation reduced restrictions on American tourists in 2009, opening the door to a slow flow of travelers that came to an end in 2017, when the United States decreed that its citizens were no longer allowed to visit that territory, citing “a serious risk and growing arrest and long-term detention. ”
Very famous cases have shown that danger: in 2016, the tourist Otto Warmbier was arrested and held for 17 months after allegedly stealing a political cartel, and died shortly after returning home. Three other Americans were released in May 2018 after prolonged detentions in North Korea.
What you are missing if you are American: to know a culture that has been isolated for decades, which foreigners have been able to experience within the limits of strictly controlled routes.
Cuba
Cubans observe the arrival of a cruise that takes tourists to Havana in 2017. (Credit: Adalberto Roque / AFP / Getty Images)
Havana is just over 160 miles away from Key West, but it is a place beyond the reach of many Americans.
And in recent years, the change in rules has caused trauma to US tourists. Eager to visit the nearby island.
In the first half of 2019, there was a large flow of travelers after less strict rules facilitated the visit: according to the Cuban government, more than 140,000 U.S. citizens arrived on a cruise ship in May of this year. However, in June, that parade of tourists stopped abruptly due to the new rules imposed by the Trump administration.
What changed? The U.S. Embassy currently lists 12 approved categories for travel to Cuba, ranging from journalism to humanitarian projects. An earlier category for trips, known as "people-to-people" or town to town, was eliminated and represented many tourist visits.
What you are missing: explore the 5,745 km of the coast of Cuba, which includes white sand beaches with baby turtles, in addition to the architectural treasure of Havana, where the style of the 1920s and 1930s has been preserved.
Iran
Built in 1971, the Azadi tower marks the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian empire. (Credit): Mohammad Reza Domiri Ganji
The historical gems of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia to the Armenian monasteries are grouped in the spectacular scenery of Iran. And if you add to that a tradition of hospitality and good cuisine, you have the dream destination of a traveler.
Those powerful attractions explain the numbers of foreigners who entered the country after moderate President Hassan Rouhani came to power in 2013. Since then, tourism in Iran has continued to grow, but a recent report from the Skift industry website highlights that American visits are declining.
Part of the reasons may be the difficulty of obtaining a visa for Iran. Americans who arrive in the country must travel with an officially authorized host at all times, and bureaucracy can mean unpredictable delays.
Although many American tourists get approval within a few weeks, the Intrepid Travel guide company suggests that they consider 60 to 90 days to obtain a visa.
An unstable political relationship between the United States and Iran causes some additional uncertainty: following President Trump's 2017 decree that limits immigration from Iran and six other Muslim-majority countries, Iranian officials announced that, in retaliation, they would ban entry of American visitors.
What you are missing: religious architecture in the ancient city of the Silk Road, Esfahan, whose main square of the 17th century was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Turkmenistan
The Dutar monument (front) symbolizes inspiration in Turkmen, with the Turkmenistan State Culture Institute on the back. (Credit: Stanislav Krasilnikov / TASS / Getty Images)
Merchants and travelers caravans once passed through the Turkmen city of Merv, an oasis with thousands of years of history.
This desert region could have been a tourist center in the ancient world, but these days Turkmenistan imposes visa rules that keep many visitors away.
To obtain a visa in Turkmenistan, Americans need an official letter of invitation from the government; Arriving in the country without one could be held at the airport until you book a return flight.
For most travelers, that means visiting the country as part of an organized tour, as companies can organize invitation letters that facilitate access.
What you are missing: explore Ashgabat, a dazzling city that shines with marble and gold monuments. While many statues of former President Saparmurat Niyazov have collapsed in the years after his death in 2006, the capital still holds the Guinness world record for the highest density of white marble clad buildings in the world.
Russia
Moscow is full of historical and significant structures, including St. Basil's Cathedral. (Credit: Alexander Nemenov / AFP / Getty Images)
Many instances of bureaucracy stand between American tourists and a trip to the iconic Moscow Red Square, where you can still visit the preserved body of Vladimir Lenin.
If you arrive without a visa there is no way to enter,
To obtain a visa in advance, US citizens must obtain an invitation letter. (Most visitors coordinate with a travel agency that can confirm the plans and issue the letter).
Once there, you will enter a country of surveillance where hundreds of thousands of cameras observe only Moscow.
Tourist visas are issued for a maximum of 30 days. Although not unusual, the rigorous application of visa rules by Russia is. If you stay longer than the allowed time you must apply for a visa to leave the country.
According to the US Department of State, those who attempt to leave Russia on an expired visa can be held for up to 20 days while waiting for an exit visa to be issued.
What you are missing: an iconic journey on the Trans-Siberian Railroad, the longest railway line in the world.
Passport IndexDestinationsPassportInternational Relations
