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US Green Card Holder: Countries You Can Visit Without Needing A Visa

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Updated: Feb 2020

U.S. Green Card Holders (aka Permanent Residents of the United States of America) can travel to 23 sovereign countries and several dependencies without needing a Travel Visa. This is true regardless of your country of citizenship.

As long as you are a US Green Card holder, there are many countries and dependencies that you can visit just like an American citizen with an American passport.

Green Card Visa Free Travel

Photo: A sample green card from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

The Reality is that your permanent residency status in the USA doesn’t influence your need for Visas, while your actual citizenship does. So your passport issuing country is more critical to your international traveling abilities.

If you stay in the US as a Permanent Resident, popularly known as the Green Card holder, your ability to travel to other countries without a Visa depends on which country issued your passport.

For the majority of countries (not listed below), you will need to check individually whether they require a Visa from the citizens of your passport-issuing country.

Visa Free Countries for Green Card Holder

Here is a list of countries that will let you in without a Travel Visa, regardless of your citizenship, provided that you are US Permanent Resident (i.e. Green Card Holder).

Listing Alphabetically

  • Albania: Visa free travel up to 90 days with a valid passport and US Green Card.
  • Antigua and Barbuda: Visa free travel up to 30 days with a valid passport (6 months validity) and US Green Card.
  • Bahamas: Passport and green card are necessary when traveling to the Bahamas.
  • Barbados: Visa free travel (30-90 days depending on your passport issuing country). Cruise ship passengers (from any country) arriving and departing do not need a visa. More information here.
  • Belize: Passport must be valid for at least six months past the end date of stay. With prior approval from Belizean immigration, green card holders receive a Visa upon arrival. The fee is $50 USD.
  • Bermuda: A green card is enough when traveling to Bermuda via cruise. Passport and green card are both necessary if flying into Bermuda.
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina: Visa free travel up to 90 days with a valid passport (6 months validity) and US Green Card.
  • British Virgin Islands: Passport, proof of accommodations on the island, and proof of return journey, and your US Green Card is required for the entry. You do not need any travel visa.
  • Canada: Under the “good neighbor policy,” regardless of your country of citizenship, green card holders are allowed to enter Canada without a Visa. When traveling by land or sea directly from the U.S., you will only need to provide proof of your U.S. lawful permanent resident status (such as your Green Card). However, if flying or transiting thorough Canada, you will need to present both a) Green Card, and b) Valid Passport
  • Cayman Islands: Green card holders can stay in the Cayman Islands for up to 30 days without having a Tourist Visa.
  • Costa Rica: Passport & Green Card must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry into the country. (Exception: If you have a refugee status you will need to apply for a restricted visa, a process which may take some time. Read more here.)
  • Dominica: Visa free travel up to 6 months with a valid passport (6 months validity) and US Green Card.
  • Dominican Republic: Passport, green card, and tourist card required. (Note: Anyone who can legally travel or reside in the U.S. does not need a Visa to travel to the Dominican Republic for tourist purposes.)
  • Guatemala: Carry your passport (with 6 months of validity) and Green Card. Up to 90 days of visa free stay.
  • Haiti: You need your Green Card and Passport with at least 6 months of validity. All foreign passport holders traveling to Haiti must pay a tourist fee set at $10.00 at the airport. (Exception: Unfortunately, this Visa waiver does not apply to Green Card holders who are citizens of Syria, Libya, Iran, Vietnam, Yemen, Chechnya.)
  • Honduras:  Carry your passport (with 6 months of validity) and Green Card. Up to 90 days of visa free stay.
  • Jamaica: Passport, green card, and round-trip tickets to the U.S. or onward tickets to another destination required. (Exception: Unfortunately, this waiver does not apply to Green Card holders who are citizens of Taiwan.)
  • Kosovo: Visa free travel up to 15 days with a valid passport (6 months validity) and US Green Card.
  • Mexico: Under the “good neighbor policy,” regardless of your country of citizenship, green card holders are allowed to enter Mexico without a Visa. You must carry a valid passport and your U.S. Permanent Resident/Green Card at all times.
  • Montenegro: Visa free travel up to 30 days with a valid passport (6 months validity) and US Green Card.
  • Nicaragua:  Carry your passport (with 6 months of validity) and Green Card.
  • Panama:  Carry your passport (with 6 months of validity) and Green Card. Up to 90 days of visa free stay.
  • Serbia: Visa free travel up to 90 days with a valid passport (6 months validity) and US Green Card.
  • South Korea: Visa free travel for 30 days for US Permanent Resident. You can transit through and stay in South Korea for 30 days, but South Korea must NOT be your final destination.
  • Taiwan: Visa free travel up to 30 days with a valid passport (6 months validity) and US Green Card.
  • Turks and Caicos Islands: Visa free travel up to 30 days with a valid passport (6 months validity) and US Green Card.
  • U.S. Virgin Islands: (Not a sovereign country but a US territory). Anyone traveling between the U.S. and its territories (including US Virgin Islands) is not required to show a passport or green card for entry. This is because they are essentially on home soil. The same applies to Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Visa Free Caribbean Netherlands

  • Aruba: Passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry, and a green card is necessary. No need for a Visa to enter.
  • Curacao: Passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry, and a green card is necessary. No need for a Visa to enter.
  • Bonaire: Passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry, and a green card is necessary. No need for a Visa to enter.

Besides the ABC Islands of the Caribbean Netherlands, you can also travel to the following Caribbean islands (also part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands).

  • St. Maarten: Passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry, and a green card is necessary. No need for a Visa to enter.
  • St. Eustatius: Passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry, and a green card is necessary. No need for a Visa to enter.
  • Saba: Passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry, and a green card is necessary. No need for a Visa to enter.

Travel With Care

Photo: Do your research and travel with care / The Art of Travel Partners

Many of you have messaged me or commented asking how you can keep track of future changes in Visa status? Well, here is the easy answer.

Usually, things don’t change for years or decades. When they do change, they are often excellent or awful.

In other words, either your passport issuing country has made new agreements with another country or a country has severed its ties or changed its Visa rules and/or relationships with your passport issuing country.

Note: Always double-check the destination country’s immigration website before booking any flights or trips. As many of our readers have rightly said, things can change, and you don’t want to be caught off-guard.

Note: Green Card holders who stay out of the US for more than 1-year risk having their green card canceled by USCIS (The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services). When you are traveling abroad, remember, your time out of the country must not exceed one year.

Common Question

Question: Can I travel to [xyz destination] with a Green Card only?

Answer: If you are wondering if you can travel to Canada or Mexico with a Green Card only, unfortunately, the answer is you will still need your passport if you are traveling by air. If you are driving through, legally you only need your Green Card but it’s a good practice to carry your passport as well.

PS: Please comment below if I am missing any other countries or territories. This list of Visa-free travel is for U.S. Green Card holders regardless of their country of citizenship.

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