The US Has One Of The Most Powerful Passports & It's So Easy To Travel To These Countries
Americans have visa-free access to 188 countries. ✈️
A person holding an American passport. Right: People on a street in Taiwan.
Some countries have easier access to travel than others, and the United States passport gives Americans visa-free access to many countries worldwide, so much so that it's regarded as one of the most powerful documents of them all.
The American passport received a power rank of three on the Global Passport Index, surpassing other countries like Canada and Australia, which both only ranked fourth. However, the United Arab Emirates (No.1) and Sweden (No.2) have passports with a lot more power than the U.S.
Still, having a United States passport can give you some pretty cool travel benefits, so here's everything to know about having one:
How do U.S. citizens get a passport?
First-time adult passport hopefuls have to apply for one in-person appointment at a Passport Acceptance Facility, according to the US Bureau of Consular Affairs.
The application requires you to bring evidence of your U.S. citizenship, identification and a clear acceptable photo of yourself.
Then you can track your application's status, which typically takes 8 to 11 weeks to process.
How powerful is a U.S. passport?
The United States passport has visa-free access to 188 countries, according to a ranking that found it to be only the sixth-best international passport.
Some popular hassle-free countries Americans often enjoy, free of annoying visa restraints, include Brazil, Taiwan, Canada and the entire European Union.
As long as you have a passport, you can hop on a plane to these countries. So, it might just be time to plan that international getaway you've been dreaming about!
What countries do not accept U.S. passports?
India, Russia, China and The Phillippines are a few of the 41 spots that aren't so easy for Americans to travel to.
Although the U.S. passport has some pretty strong traveling powers, some countries don't accept it without the required visas and tons of paperwork.
The website Guide Consultants reports around 41 countries worldwide don't simply "accept" the American passport but rather make you apply for programs to visit.
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