Where can North Korea passport holders travel?
You can visit 74 countries without applying at an embassy: 9 visa-free, 22 with a visa on arrival, 3 with an online eTA and 40 with an eVisa.
Source: Passport Index dataset (visualpharm/visa-free-dataset, updated 2026-06-14) + 181 sourced corrections (last checked 2026-10-15). Page built 15 October 2026. Report an error
Visa free 9
Visa on arrival 22
eTA (online travel authorization) 3
eVisa (apply online) 40
Embassy visa required for 124 countries
Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of the Congo, Romania, Saint Lucia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela, Yemen
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Changing planes with a North Korea passport
These rules cover connecting flights where you stay in the airport's international transit area. Leaving it, changing airports or collecting your bags means entering the country, which needs the entry visa.
Schengen area
No airport transit visa needed
United Kingdom
No airport transit visa needed
United States
US visa needed, even to change planes (a C-1 transit visa or a B visitor visa)
Who is exempt
A valid US visitor (B) visa also covers transit.
Canada
Canadian visa needed, even to change planes (a transit visa for stays of 48 hours or less)
Who is exempt
US lawful permanent residents can transit without a Canadian visa or eTA.
Recent rule changes for North Korea passports
Chad · 11 May 2026
Chad moved all visa applications online (evisa.td)
Nicaragua · 16 February 2026
Nicaragua published new visa lists (Disposición 002-2026)
Cape Verde · 1 January 2026
Cabo Verde ended visa on arrival: get a visa from an embassy before you travel
North Korea passport: common questions
How many countries can North Korea passport holders visit without a visa?
North Korea passport holders can visit 74 countries without applying at an embassy: 9 visa-free, 22 with a visa on arrival, 3 with an online eTA and 40 with an eVisa. The other 124 countries require an embassy visa.
Which countries are visa-free for North Korea passport holders?
North Korea passport holders can enter these 9 countries visa-free: Dominica, Guyana, Haiti, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Micronesia, Palestinian Territory, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Samoa.
Which countries give North Korea passport holders a visa on arrival?
North Korea passport holders can get a visa on arrival in these 22 countries: Armenia, Bangladesh, Burundi, Cambodia, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Jordan, Laos, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Palau, Rwanda, Tanzania, Timor-Leste and Tuvalu. A fee may apply.
Where do North Korea passport holders need an eTA or eVisa?
An online eTA is needed for Kenya, Seychelles and Suriname. An eVisa, applied for online before you fly, is needed for Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Libya, Mauritania, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, São Tomé and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Can a US, UK or Schengen visa help North Korea passport holders visit more countries?
Yes. Holding a valid visa opens more countries that North Korea passport holders can enter without an embassy visa: 10 more with a US visa, 8 more with a UK visa and 43 more with a Schengen visa. Conditions apply, and each rule links to its official source.
Where can North Korea passport holders with a Schengen residence permit, UK residence permit or US green card travel?
A valid residence permit opens more countries that North Korea passport holders can enter without an embassy visa: 10 more with a US green card, 4 more with a UK residence permit and 39 more with a Schengen residence permit. A Schengen residence permit allows stays of up to 90 days in any 180 in the other Schengen countries. Conditions apply, and each rule links to its official source.
Do North Korea passport holders need a transit visa?
Schengen area: no airport transit visa needed. United Kingdom: no airport transit visa needed. United States: US visa needed, even to change planes (a C-1 transit visa or a B visitor visa). Canada: Canadian visa needed, even to change planes (a transit visa for stays of 48 hours or less). Some visas and residence permits exempt you; the transit section on this page lists them with official sources.
How up to date is this North Korea passport information?
The visa data comes from the Passport Index dataset (visualpharm/visa-free-dataset, updated 2026-06-14) + 181 sourced corrections (last checked 2026-10-15). This page was built on 15 October 2026. Entry rules change, so confirm with the destination's official website or embassy before you travel.