North Korea Travel Ban Extended: US Passports Still Verboten Until 2026
Published Date: 5/14/2025
Notice
Summary
If you have a U.S. passport, you can’t use it to travel to or through North Korea unless you get special permission. This travel ban started in 2017 and keeps getting extended every year. The latest update means the ban will stay in place until at least August 31, 2026, so plan ahead and don’t try to sneak in without approval!
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
U.S. Passports Invalid for DPRK Travel
If you have a U.S. passport, you cannot use it to travel to, in, or through North Korea (the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) unless your passport is specially validated for that travel. This restriction began on September 1, 2017 and has been extended each year; the latest extension keeps the ban in place until August 31, 2026 unless the Secretary of State extends or revokes it.
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