“A country doesn’t need to be at war with America to ban Americans.”
T
raveling across borders is a privilege most countries extend to each other’s citizens. Yet, no country is required to allow citizens of another country to enter. Governments can issue a ban on travel for any reason or no reason at all.
Sometimes, this means that countries decide to exclude certain groups of people, such as those with DUIs or felony convictions for drug trafficking. Individuals can be banned from visiting certain countries for offenses like previously overstaying a visa.
Countries rarely decide to exclude an entire group of people based on their nationality. However, while these travel bans aren’t common, they do happen.
When the White House recently proposed travel bans that would prevent citizens of 43 countries from entering the United States, many of the impacted countries expressed concern. Rumors started flying that some of these countries would issue retaliatory bans and prevent Americans from visiting as well.
Among the 43 countries targeted is the small Eastern Caribbean country of Antigua and Barbuda. These twin islands are better known for their pink-sand beaches, rainforests, and large bird sanctuary rather than political controversy. Yet, the government of Antigua and Barbuda quickly expressed concern about its inclusion on the list and how fear of a retaliatory ban, even if unfounded, could impact tourism to the islands. Antigua and Barbuda quickly issued a statement clarifying that no travel ban was in place, specifying that citizens of Antigua and Barbuda could still travel to the United States and that U.S. citizens “remain warmly welcomed” in Antigua and Barbuda.
Continue Reading Article After Our Video
Recommended Fodor’s Video
Nevertheless, travel bans do exist. Michael Soud, an international attorney and co-founder of Travel Insighter, explains that there are two types of travel bans. First, countries can ban citizens of other countries from visiting. Second, countries can ban their own citizens from visiting other countries.
Why do countries issue travel bans?
Travel bans are imposed “when a country wants to protect its own interests, security, health, or economics,” explains David Gammill, an attorney with Gammill Law, who works on cases involving abuse of power in immigration cases and international accident cases. “These bans and restrictions are entirely a function of geopolitical happenings,” Soud explains.
Gammill emphasizes that a country can issue a travel ban quickly, at any time. “A country doesn’t need to be at war with America to ban Americans,” he says. A country can ban Americans or citizens of any other country from visiting for any reason. “It can be political,” he says. For example, some European countries “banned Russian tourists following the invasion of Ukraine,” he says.
Countries have also banned citizens from certain countries from visiting for health reasons. “During the Marburg virus outbreak, the Dominican Republic temporarily shut out travelers from Equatorial Guinea,” he says. Similarly, countries worldwide banned tourists from entering during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although it can be tempting to try to get around a travel ban, “if you try to enter a country you’re banned from, you’re not getting in,” Gammill says. If you try, “Best case scenario, you’re put on a plane and sent back home. Worst case scenario, you’re arrested, fined, or even jailed,” he explains.
Do any countries ban Americans from visiting?
At the moment, no country bars Americans says Gammill.
While Americans do need visas to enter many countries, from India to Egypt, this typically involves jumping through a few administrative hoops. This is usually an annoyance rather than an outright ban, and travel is usually still possible.
Some countries make it very difficult for Americans to visit but have fallen short of imposing an outright ban. For example, Americans can only visit Iran if they are part of an organized tour, Soud explains. It can also be difficult for Americans to get permission to visit Venezuela, Russia, Yemen, Libya, and Somalia, he says.
Does the U.S. government ban citizens from visiting other countries?
Although no country currently bans Americans from visiting, the U.S. government bans its own citizens from visiting two countries.
The government of the United States has banned its citizens from visiting North Korea unless they can demonstrate they have an extraordinary reason in the “national interest.” Although North Korea may allow some foreigners in, what happens next is unpredictable.
In 2015, an American student named Otto Warmbier entered North Korea with a tour group. However, after stealing a sign, Warmbier was arrested and sentenced to hard labor. North Korea characterized this as a “hostile act” and sentenced Warmbier to hard labor in a work camp. Shortly after arriving at the camp, Warmbier suffered a severe brain injury and fell into a coma. Two years later, Warmbier was still in a coma. North Korea released him on humanitarian grounds. However, he never woke up and died less than a month after returning home. Since that tragic incident, the United States has barred its citizens from entering North Korea “due to the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention” and “unduly harsh sentences,” according to the U.S. Department of State.
The United States renewed the ban on travel to North Korea after another American, Private Travis King, ran across the Demilitarized Zone on the South Korean border and entered North Korea. King was detained for over two months after the United States engaged in a “multiweek diplomatic effort” involving Sweden and China.
Warmbier and King’s cases illustrate how the lack of diplomatic relations with North Korea makes it nearly impossible for the State Department to assist Americans held in the country. The ban is likely to stay in place because “Ultimately the U.S. is unable to provide consular assistance in North Korea, and does not want its citizens being used as political pawns,” Soud explains.
Soud notes that Americans with dual nationality could enter North Korea on a different passport. However, Americans who visit North Korea are likely in violation of U.S. law, Soud explains.
Because the United States has a trade embargo against Cuba, its citizens are prohibited from visiting as tourists. However, U.S. citizens are allowed to visit for 12 limited purposes, such as educational activities, humanitarian projects, visiting family, and “support for the Cuban people.” According to Soud, because the exceptions the United States makes for visiting Cuba are so broad, Americans have been getting around the ban for years.
Additionally, the United States Department of State advises its citizens to avoid travel to countries with Level 4 travel advisories. These include Iraq, Yemen, and South Sudan, where the risk of armed conflict, civil unrest, high crime rates, and health hazards are particularly high. However, the U.S. government doesn’t outright ban travel to these countries.
How can I find out if there is a travel ban where I’m going?
Gammill suggests that travelers avoid relying on word-of-mouth or messaging boards for the most current information on travel bans. “Those are fluid and not necessarily reliable,” he says. If you have any doubts, Gammill suggests calling the embassy of the country you want to visit. You can also check the U.S. State Department’s website to see if there are any advisories or bans on travel to the country you are going to visit. Soud also recommends contacting a local attorney if you have doubts about your ability to travel to a certain country.
“If you’re going to travel, keep your paperwork tight. That means looking out for diplomatic shifts or medical outbreaks that can impact entry,” Gammill advises.
