North Korea visa and entry requirements

The UK government says North Korea's borders have been closed to general entry since 2020 and some limited tourism has restarted. It says tourists can normally travel only as part of an organised tour and independent travellers need a sponsor and permission from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. A US Federal Register notice says US passports are invalid for travel to North Korea unless specially validated.

Every fact on this page verified on or after: Aug 26, 2026· How this site works

Check requirements for your passport

Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.

Visas & entry authorisations

Entry requirements

Passport validity

The UK government says your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay, and to check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements, including for China if you are travelling through China.

Verified Oct 2, 2026 · gov.ukCompare every country

Vaccinations

Conditional
  • Yellow fever (International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP)) — WHO's country list marks North Korea as requiring proof of yellow fever vaccination from travellers aged one year and over arriving from countries at risk of yellow fever transmission; the UK government says you need the certificate if you are coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · cdn.who.int · International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36 · archived copyCompare every country

Travel insurance

Not officially stated

No official source we could read states an insurance requirement for entry. Canada's travel advice says to get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays, and that medical services and facilities are poor.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · travel.gc.ca

Onward or return ticket

Not officially stated

No official source we could read states an onward-ticket requirement. The UK government says tourists can normally travel to North Korea only as part of an organised tour, and that independent travellers need a sponsor and permission from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk

Proof of funds

Not officially stated

No official source we could read states a proof-of-funds requirement. The UK government says credit cards and international mobile payments are not accepted, and that some hotels may insist on full cash payment in advance when you check in.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk

Arrival cards & declarations

Required
  • Arrival customs declaration — The UK government says foreign currency must be declared at customs, foreign mobile phones must be registered at the border, and GPS devices must be left with customs until you leave. It says customs officers will confiscate literature or media deemed anti-government, subversive or pornographic, that there could be further severe penalties including imprisonment, and advises against bringing Korean-language or religious material.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.ukCompare every country

Customs & currency

The UK government says there are no restrictions on importing and exporting foreign currency, but you must declare it at customs, and that importing or exporting North Korean won is illegal. It says shops and restaurants usually charge foreign nationals in foreign currency, and some hotels may insist on full cash payment in advance.

  • The UK government advises against bringing books or other written material in the Korean language, including anything with religious content, and says customs officers will confiscate literature or media deemed anti-government, subversive or pornographic. Canada's travel advice says the same applies to material printed in South Korea.
  • The UK government says foreign mobile phones must be registered at the border and cannot connect to any network using an international SIM card, and that GPS devices must be left with customs until you leave. Canada's travel advice says importing satellite telephones and shortwave radios is prohibited, and that such items are confiscated on entry and usually returned on departure.
  • The UK government advises asking permission from your tour guide before taking any photographs; Canada's travel advice says photos or videos taken outside tourist areas could result in the confiscation of your equipment or detention.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk

Yellow fever certificate

WHO's country list marks North Korea as requiring proof of yellow fever vaccination from travellers aged one year and over arriving from countries at risk of yellow fever transmission; the UK government says you need the certificate if you are coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.

The 42 countries WHO lists as a yellow fever risk

Requirements normally count any country you have been in shortly before arrival, not only where you boarded.

  • Angola
  • Argentina — Misiones and Corrientes Provinces
  • Benin
  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cameroon
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Colombia
  • Côte d'Ivoire
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Ecuador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Ethiopia
  • French Guiana
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Kenya
  • Liberia
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Republic of the Congo
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • South Sudan
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Togo
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Uganda
  • Venezuela
Compiled Aug 26, 2026 · cdn.who.int · International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36

International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36 and Annex 7; WHO International Travel and Health, Annex 1, 18 November 2022 (revised 3 January 2023)

Country in a nutshell

Currency
North Korean won (KPW, ₩)
Cards & payments
The UK government says credit cards and international mobile payments are not accepted, that the US dollar and the euro are the most widely accepted currencies with Chinese yuan accepted in some places, and that importing or exporting the won is illegal. Canada's travel advice adds that there are no ATMs, that change in foreign currency is often unavailable, and that some hotels accept credit cards if you give them advance notice.
Safety — High risk
The UK government advises against all but essential travel to North Korea. It says the North Korean authorities have previously detained foreign nationals for allegedly violating local laws and denied them access to support from their governments, and that a guide will almost always accompany visitors and decide where they can go. Canada advises avoiding all travel, citing the risk of arbitrary detention.Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk · archived copy
Power plugs
A, C, F · 220V 50Hz
Languages
Korean
Time zone
UTC+9
International Driving Permit

The UK government says international driving permits are not valid in North Korea.

Verified Oct 10, 2026 · gov.uk Compare every country
Tap water
not for drinking. Use bottled

Best time to visit

Canada's travel advice says the rainy season extends from late June until August, with July usually the wettest month. No official source we could read names a best time to visit.

Tips & warnings

The UK government advises against all but essential travel to North Korea, and Canada advises avoiding all travel, citing the risk of arbitrary detention. A US Federal Register notice says US passports are invalid for travel there unless specially validated.

The UK government says to ask permission from your tour guide before taking any photographs. Canada's travel advice says you must be accompanied by an official guide at all times, that authorities may seize material deemed pornographic, political or intended for religious proselytizing, as well as material printed in South Korea, and that you could be arrested and detained for unsanctioned political or religious activity.

The UK government says North Korea's borders have been closed to general entry since 2020 and some limited tourism has restarted.

The UK government says a foreign mobile phone must be registered at the border and there is no connectivity to international or domestic mobile networks using an international SIM card, and that the routine lack of access to internet and mobile networks makes it almost impossible to communicate outside North Korea.

The UK government says the US dollar and the euro are the most widely accepted currencies, with Chinese yuan accepted in some places. Canada's travel advice says change in foreign currency is often unavailable.

Visa requirements by nationality

PassportsVisas & entry authorisationsMax stay
AustraliaVisa required—
AustriaEmbassy visa—
BarbadosVisa required—
Bosnia and HerzegovinaVisa required—
CanadaEmbassy visa—
ChinaVisa required—
ColombiaVisa required—
CzechiaEmbassy visa—
EcuadorVisa required—
EstoniaVisa required—
FranceEmbassy visa—
GermanyEmbassy visa—
IrelandVisa required—
ItalyVisa required—
JamaicaVisa required—
KazakhstanVisa required—
MoldovaVisa required—
NetherlandsVisa required—
North KoreaFree movement—
PolandVisa required—
PortugalVisa required—
RussiaVisa required—
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesVisa required—
SerbiaVisa required—
SeychellesVisa required—
SingaporeVisa required—
SpainVisa required—
TurkeyVisa required—
United KingdomEmbassy visa—
United StatesEntry restricted—

Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.

No official page we read states the rule for 169 nationalities, so the table leaves them out: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Republic of the Congo, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

China79 of 199 passports visa-freeSouth Korea23 of 199 passports visa-free · 88 eVisa/ETARussia69 of 199 passports visa-free · 60 eVisa/ETAMongolia68 of 199 passports visa-free · 129 eVisa/ETA

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for North Korea?

Yes, for every passport whose rule we found on an official page: the UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy and Estonia each say their citizens need a visa, and China says its citizens with ordinary private passports must obtain a visa or a tourist card before travelling; for a passport whose rule neither North Korea nor that passport's own government states on a page we could read, no official source states it. The UK government says tourists can normally travel only as part of an organised tour, that independent travellers need a sponsor and permission from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and that the borders have been closed to general entry since 2020 with some limited tourism restarted. US passports are invalid for travel there unless specially validated.

Can US citizens visit North Korea?

Not on a US passport unless it is specially validated. A US Federal Register notice says that on 1 September 2017 all US passports were declared invalid for travel to, in or through North Korea unless specially validated, that the restriction has been extended annually since 2017, and that the latest notice extends it until 31 August 2027.

Is North Korea open to tourists in 2026?

Only in a limited way, according to the UK government: it says North Korea's borders have been closed to general entry since 2020 and that some limited tourism has restarted.

Can I travel independently in North Korea?

Normally not. Canada's travel advice says you must be accompanied by an official guide at all times, and the UK government says a guide will almost always accompany you and will decide where you can go. The UK Foreign Office says tourists can normally travel only as part of an organised tour and that independent travellers need a sponsor and permission from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

What money do tourists use in North Korea?

Mostly cash. The UK government says credit cards and international mobile payments are not accepted, that the US dollar and the euro are the most widely accepted currencies with Chinese yuan accepted in some places, and that importing or exporting the won is illegal. Canada's travel advice says cash is the most accepted form of payment and there are no ATMs, and that some hotels accept credit cards if you give them advance notice.

Sources & verification

Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:

Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source