Exploring North Korea: Can Americans Visit The Country?

The US State Department currently advises US citizens not to travel to North Korea due to the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention. Since 2017, US passports have been invalidated for travel to North Korea unless they are specially validated by the Department of State, which is granted only in very limited circumstances. The US government is unable to provide emergency services to US citizens in North Korea as it does not have diplomatic relations with the country. Despite this, some tour companies have helped US citizens enter North Korea, although this is technically illegal and could result in a passport being revoked.

US citizens must obtain a Special Validation Passport to enter North Korea

US citizens are prohibited from using their US passports to travel to North Korea (officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK). This is due to the serious and mounting risk of arrest and long-term detention of US citizens in North Korea. The US Department of State has advised that US citizens in North Korea should have already departed the country.

However, US citizens can apply for a special validation in their passport to enter North Korea. This is granted in very limited circumstances, and only if the trip is in the national interest. Examples of this include travelling for humanitarian reasons, as a professional journalist, or as a representative of the Red Cross.

To apply for a special validation passport, applicants must submit the following information:

• Current contact information, including a phone number, mailing address, and email address.
• A copy of a valid, government-issued photo ID that includes the applicant's signature and date of birth. This could be a US passport, driver's license, naturalization certificate, military identification, or federal, state, or municipal government employee identification card.
• A statement explaining why the trip is in the national interest or why the applicant is eligible for a special validation passport. This should include proposed travel dates and the applicant's role on the trip.
• Documents to support the request, such as a letter from the organization sponsoring the trip.

If applying for a multiple-entry special validation passport, applicants must also submit:

• Documents showing that the applicant or their organization has a well-established history of travelling to the DPRK.
• A draft itinerary, including proposed dates of travel and work to be done on each trip.
• Documents showing that the applicant's humanitarian work requires them to make multiple trips to the DPRK in the next two years.

Once the application is submitted, the applicant will be notified of whether their request has been approved or denied. If approved, they will receive a letter or email certifying their eligibility for travel to the DPRK, which they must then use to apply for their special validation passport.

US passports are invalid for travel to North Korea

The US State Department currently advises US citizens not to travel to North Korea due to the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention. US passports are invalid for travel to North Korea unless they have been specially validated by the Department of State. This special validation is only granted in very limited circumstances, such as for journalists, Red Cross officials, humanitarian workers, or those working in the national interest.

The US government cannot provide emergency services to US citizens in North Korea, as it does not have diplomatic relations with the country. Sweden acts as the protecting power for the United States in North Korea, providing limited emergency services. However, the North Korean government often delays or denies Swedish officials access to detained US citizens.

The US State Department's travel advisory for North Korea is Level 4: Do Not Travel. This advisory was reissued in July 2023, with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed. The advisory warns of the risk of arrest and long-term detention for US nationals and the critical threat of wrongful detention. It also states that US passports are invalid for travel to, in, or through North Korea unless specially validated by the Secretary of State.

The use of US passports for travel to North Korea has been restricted since September 1, 2017, when the US State Department introduced a travel ban. This restriction is valid for one year but has been renewed annually unless revoked by the US Secretary of State. The latest extension will expire on August 31, 2025.

The Biden administration has extended the ban on traveling to North Korea with a US passport, absent special approval. The ban makes it illegal to use a US passport for travel to, from, or through North Korea without special validation. Such validations are only granted by the State Department in the case of compelling national interest.

The maximum criminal penalty for using a US passport to enter North Korea and then returning can be severe. Individuals could face up to ten years in prison for a first or second offense or up to fifteen years for subsequent offenses, along with fines.

The US State Department advises against travel to North Korea

The US State Department currently advises US citizens not to travel to North Korea. This is due to the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention of US nationals. The Department of State also warns that US passports are invalid for travel to, in, or through North Korea unless they have been specially validated for such travel.

Special validations are granted only in very limited circumstances, such as for journalists, Red Cross officials, humanitarian workers, and those working "in the national interest". The US government is unable to provide emergency services to US citizens in North Korea, as it does not have diplomatic or consular relations with the country. Sweden serves as the protecting power for the United States in North Korea, providing limited emergency services. However, the North Korean government often delays or denies Swedish officials access to detained US citizens.

The US State Department's advisory also warns of the critical threat of wrongful detention in North Korea. There is a high level of risk to civil aviation operating within or near North Korea, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) and/or a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) in response.

Given these risks, the US State Department strongly discourages US citizens from travelling to North Korea. Those who choose to do so should be aware of the potential consequences and take the necessary precautions, such as drafting a will and designating power of attorney. They should also enrol in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) and follow the Department of State on social media for updates.

The US government cannot provide emergency services to US citizens in North Korea

The US government strongly advises its citizens not to travel to North Korea due to the serious and mounting risk of arrest and long-term detention. The US Department of State has prohibited the use of US passports for travel to North Korea unless they are specially validated, which is only granted under very limited circumstances.

The US government is unable to provide emergency services to US citizens in North Korea as it does not have diplomatic or consular relations with the country. Sweden serves as the protecting power for the United States in North Korea, providing limited emergency services.

• The US government has no means to provide normal consular services to its citizens in North Korea due to a lack of diplomatic or consular relations.
• Sweden acts as the protecting power for the United States in North Korea, but the North Korean government routinely delays or denies Swedish officials access to detained US citizens.
• North Korea's legal system is an instrument of state power, and protections guaranteed under the US legal system do not apply.
• US citizens in North Korea are subject to North Korean laws and may be held in isolation without charges, interrogated without counsel, or compelled to draft public confessions.
• Medical facilities in North Korea lack resources and electricity, and medical personnel may have inadequate or outdated skills.
• Emergency response and appropriate medical treatment are not available in North Korea, and evacuation options may be limited.

US citizens have been detained in North Korea

The US State Department advises against travelling to North Korea due to the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention of US nationals. US citizens have been detained in North Korea several times since 1996, including tourists, scholars, and journalists. The US government is unable to provide emergency services to US citizens in North Korea as it does not have diplomatic or consular relations with the country.

One notable case of a US citizen detained in North Korea is that of Otto Warmbier, a student at the University of Virginia who was arrested while visiting North Korea as part of a tour group in 2016. Warmbier was detained for two months and sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment. He was freed 17 months after his arrest but died in a hospital six days after returning to the US in 2017.

Another case is that of Matthew Miller, a 24-year-old teacher from California who was taken into custody and charged with "hostile" espionage acts while on an organised tour in 2014. Miller was sentenced to six years' imprisonment with hard labour.

In 2018, North Korea detained Bruce Byron Lowrance, a 60-year-old from Michigan, while he was entering the country from China. Lowrance was released about a month after being detained and has not commented publicly on his detention.

The most recent case of a US citizen detained in North Korea occurred in July 2023, when Private 2nd Class Travis King, a US soldier, fled across the border from South Korea. King is believed to be in North Korean custody, and the US government is working to resolve the incident.

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