Which countries can you visit with a valid US visa?
A few countries, including Mexico, Georgia, Serbia and Albania, let holders of a valid US visa in without their own visa. Every scheme has conditions and they change.
Updated
Who this article is for
This is for travellers who are not US citizens but hold a US visa in their own passport. The benefit comes from the visa, and it only helps where your passport would otherwise need a visa.
If you hold a US passport, this is not your article. Read do US citizens need a visa to travel abroad instead.
Destinations that recognise a valid US visa
| Destination | What a valid US visa gets you | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | No Mexican visa needed | The US visa must be valid and current, and some Mexican consulates also require it to be multiple-entry. Proof of permanent residence in the US is accepted the same way. |
| Canada | You can apply for an eTA instead of a visitor visa | Only for citizens of 17 listed visa-required countries, and only when flying to or transiting a Canadian airport. Arriving by car, bus, train or boat still needs a visa. |
| Georgia | Visa-free stay of 90 days in any 180-day period | The US visa or residence permit must be valid on the day you cross the border. |
| Serbia | Visa-free entry, transit and stay of up to 90 days in a six-month period | The US visa or residence permit must stay valid throughout your stay. |
| Albania | Visa-free entry | The US visa must be multiple-entry and must already have been used to enter the US. |
| Turkiye | Several nationalities become eligible for a single-entry e-visa valid one month | Specific passports only, such as India, Bangladesh and the Philippines, with a valid US, Schengen, UK or Ireland visa or residence permit. Check the official Turkish e-visa site for the current list of eligible passports. |
What a US visa does not do for you
- It does not override an admissibility decision. The officer at the border still decides whether you enter and for how long.
- It does not extend your stay. The limits above are the destination's limits, not your US visa's validity.
- Airlines apply these rules at check-in, so carry the passport containing the visa and be ready to show it.
Important: if your US visa expires mid-trip you can lose your right to be there. Most of these schemes need it valid on arrival, and some need it valid for your whole stay.
Before you travel
Check the destination's own immigration ministry in the week you travel. Other countries run similar schemes and drop them again, third-party summaries go stale, and no rule here guarantees entry.
If you do end up needing a visa, most applications want proof of accommodation. A hotel booking with free cancellation on trip1, payable in Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDC or any of 120+ cryptocurrencies through CoinGate, covers that without committing you before a decision.
Countries you can visit with a valid US visa - FAQ
A valid US visa lets some non-US citizens enter Mexico without a Mexican visa, and Georgia, Serbia and Albania visa free, each with its own conditions. Some nationalities flying to Canada can apply for an eTA instead of a visitor visa. The benefit only matters if your own passport would otherwise need a visa, and it never guarantees entry.
Not on the US visa alone. Citizens of 17 listed countries, including Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, the Philippines and Thailand, can apply for a Canadian eTA instead of a visitor visa if they hold a valid US non-immigrant visa, but only when flying to or transiting through a Canadian airport. Arriving by car, bus, train or boat still needs a visitor visa.
Yes, in most cases. Mexican consulates say holders of a valid, current US visa do not need a Mexican visa for tourism, business or transit stays of up to 180 days, and US permanent residents are treated the same way. Some consulates add that the US visa must be multiple-entry, so confirm with a Mexican consulate before you travel.
Only for some countries. Albania requires a multiple-entry US visa that has already been used to enter the United States. Mexico, Georgia and Serbia only require the US visa to be valid, and Serbia also limits your stay to the date your visa expires. Read each country's own conditions before you rely on your visa.
It depends on your nationality and the visa type, under US reciprocity rules, and a B1/B2 visa can be valid for up to ten years. The expiry date is not how long you may stay in the US, which is set at entry. For other countries, most schemes need your US visa to still be valid on the day you arrive.