9 Exotic Places US Citizens Can Travel Without a Passport
Many countries in the world require visitors to produce their valid passports at the point of entry for identification purposes. Therefore, if you’re a US citizen planning to go on vacation in a foreign country, you have to get a valid passport before you travel.
Since the process of obtaining a passport can be long and tedious, some US citizens want to know if there are places they can travel without a passport. In this article, you’ll learn about the 9 exotic places US citizens can travel without a passport.
9 Places US Citizens Can Travel Without a Passport
A US passport is one of the most powerful documents in the world because it gives you the authority to travel to foreign territories without the need to get a visa. Therefore, getting a US passport involves a long-drawn-out assessment process that can take up to 11 weeks for ordinary citizens. This delay might disrupt your travel plans, especially if you want to travel immediately.
Therefore, it’s a great relief to know there are numerous exotic places that you can travel to without a passport. Here is a comprehensive list of exotic places that US citizens can visit without a passport.
1. Virgin Islands
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Although the Virgin Islands are within the US territories, they’re not accessible to everyone, especially non-Americans. The three islands are federated by the terzetto of Caribbean islands under the US government. Interestingly, the Virgin Islands archipelago has an open-door policy for US citizens, with or without a passport.
This allows US citizens to take impromptu excursion trips to the archipelago to explore its stunning beauty. You can access the three islands from different urban communities around the United States, including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Miami, Washington, Baltimore, Orlando, Dallas, and Houston. Luckily, there are several non-stop tour opportunities to St. John Island, St. Thomas Island, and St. Croix Island.
2. St. Croix Island
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This is a sub-island of the famous Virgin Islands. You can visit this island at any time without going through the often-tedious passport formalities. St, Croix Island is reported to be the least toured island in the archipelago.
But it offers some amazing sights and fun holiday activities to keep you busy and entertained. If you desire some tranquility as you enjoy the cool breeze of the ocean, then this is a perfect place to tour. The island is dotted with traditional houses and thatched huts where tourists spend their nights.
The fact that it’s the least traveled island in the region means it has the least amount of pollution. During the day, you can tour Christiansted, the Island’s biggest town, or the sugar ranches and gardens. You can also explore the beachfront scenery on the legacy trail. This island also hosts the magnificent Buck Island Reef, which is the island’s most unforgettable flooded landmark.
3. St. Thomas Island
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This is another sub-island of the Virgin Islands, and the main section of the archipelago. Originally known as the “Last Virgin”, St. Thomas Island was the last island to be discovered in this area in 1996. Ferries transport tourists onto the island and back to the mainland, giving them a real cruising experience.
Authorities on this island don’t ask for passports from US citizens touring the area. The island is known for its magnificent golf truck, which covers almost 500 segments of the island, and a wealthy aquatic life with prickly plants. You aren’t allowed to camp on the water island except for accommodation at any of the island’s estates, which should be reserved in advance.
The only important document you’ll need to tour this island is your driver’s license. As long as you are a US citizen, no one will ask for your passport.
4. St. John Island
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This is the third sub-island of the Virgin Islands. It hosts most of the hidden beauty of the archipelago. On this island, you will have first-hand experience of the island’s natural beauty and the Caribbean Sea. St. John Island is the most frequented island in the archipelago by tourists.
So, your tour of the Virgin Islands can’t be complete without touring St. John Island. The good news is that you don’t need a passport to tour this island as long as you are an American. Approximately, 66 percent of the bright green island is a recreation area.
The island features climbing trails, stunning sea shores, secured inlets, flooded ocean nurseries, the offcuts of striking sugar plants growing along the beaches, and petroglyphs. One of the island’s amazing strolling trails is Reef Bay Directed Climb, which offers a perfect point for exploring the expansive beauty of the archipelago.
5. Puerto Rico
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Located northeast of the Caribbean Sea, about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) southeast of Miami, Florida, between the Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island with official Commonwealth standing. It’s an unincorporated territory of the United States and covers the eponymous Main Island and smaller islands, including Culebra, Vieques, and Mona. Puerto Rico hosts slightly over 3.2 million people.
San Juan is the island’s main capital and most populated city, with Spanish and English-speaking residents. However, Spanish is the predominant language on the island. The indigenous people who settled on the island some 4,000 years ago included the Taino, Saladoid, and Ortoiroid communities.
Puerto Rico is a popular tourist destination, offering some magnificent sights, including the Old San Juan city, the green bushes of the El Yunque humid forest, hidden highland towns, and beautiful beaches. The island has an open-door policy for all US citizens. So, you don’t need a passport to travel to Puerto Rico.
6. The Northern Mariana Islands
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Northern Mariana Islands is an unincorporated United States territory with an official commonwealth status. Located on the northwestern side of the Pacific Ocean, this territory comprises 14 northernmost islands in the archipelago. For a long time, the residents of the Northern Mariana Islands have been politically disenfranchised because they don’t have any representation in the US Congress.
The Northern Mariana Islands occupy approximately 183.5 square miles and host about 47,329 people. The most populated islands include Tinian, Rota, and Saipan. The region’s administrative center is Capitol Hill, which is located in northwestern Saipan. US citizens don’t need a passport to tour this area.
The Northern Mariana Islands offer the naval quintessence of the profound blue sea. Furthermore, these islands border Japan and Korea. They are perfect travel destinations for experienced aquatic researchers and divers. Some caves and sinkholes serve as home to thousands of ocean turtles and sharks.
7. Guam Island
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Guam Island is another organized unincorporated territory of the United States located in the Micronesia sub-region of the western Pacific Ocean. Its capital city is Hagatna while the most populous village is Dededo. Guam Island is the westernmost part and territory of the US, estimated from the terrestrial center of the US.
Guam is the largest island in Micronesia and the southernmost part of the Mariana Islands. Although the natives of Guam Island are considered to be American citizens, they are politically disenfranchised because they are not represented in the US Congress. American citizens don’t need a passport to tour Guam Island.
8. Canada
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US citizens do not need a passport to travel to Canada – a country in North America with 10 provinces and 3 territories, extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The country covers over 9.98 million square kilometers, which makes it the second-largest country by total landmass. In the Westminster tradition, Canada is considered a parliamentary republic and a constitutional dominion.
Although US citizens don’t need a passport to travel to Canada, this open-door policy is only applicable to Americans who enter the country through the American-Canadian border by road or sea. Even these citizens have to provide their NEXUS cards to prove they are US nationals.
9. American Samoa
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American Samoa is an archipelago covering seven South Pacific islands and islets, and it is part of the US territory. Its largest island is Tutuila, the home to the Island’s capital, Pago Pago. This capital is known for its natural harbor, which is surrounded by volcanic peaks.
American Samoa offers a variety of incredible sights, including Rainmaker Mountain, the National Park of American Samoa, rainforests, beaches, and reefs. US citizens don’t need a passport to travel to American Samoa. With only a birth certificate to prove you were born in the United States, you can tour any part of the archipelago.
