Entry/Exit Requirements

The Department of State strongly recommends against all travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK). Travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea is not routine, and U.S. citizens visiting North Korea have been subject to arrest and possibly lengthy detention due to the DPRK’s inconsistent application of its criminal laws (see our Travel Warning ).  North Korean authorities have arrested U.S. citizens who entered the DPRK legally on valid DPRK visas, as well as U.S. citizens who accidentally or intentionally crossed into DPRK territory without valid visas.

Should you choose to travel to North Korea despite the warnings, you must have a valid passport and a valid DPRK visa to enter.  The U.S. government does not issue letters to private U.S. citizens who wish to apply for DPRK visas.  If you plan to enter and depart North Korea through China, you must obtain a multiple-entry visa for China, because a valid Chinese visa is required to enter China after leaving North Korea at the conclusion of your visit.  Routine travel from South Korea to North Korea is prohibited.  Travel across the demilitarized zone (DMZ) is allowed only infrequently for official and government-authorized cultural and economic exchanges or aid shipments.  Commercial airlines do not operate regular flights between South and North Korea.

If you arrive in North Korea without both a valid passport and a valid DPRK visa, you may be denied entry, fined, detained, arrested, or imprisoned.  North Korea has imposed heavy fines and long prison sentences with hard labor on persons who entered the country without the proper documentation.  Even with proper documentation, visitors may be subject to arrest and imprisonment for actions that would not be cause for arrest in the United States or other countries and may not receive appropriate legal protection against inhumane treatment.  See also the section below on Special Circumstances for information on the detention of U.S. citizens in tour groups.

Internet access is limited or non-existent, and many hotels do not offer international telephone calls.  The DPRK cellular phone network is not open for foreign cell phones.  If you use any phone in the DPRK, please keep in mind that mobile telephone networks are operated as a joint venture with the North Korean government.  You have no right to privacy in North Korea and should therefore assume your communications are monitored.  If you bring written materials or electronic media, including e-book readers, USB drives, CD-ROMs, DVDs, or laptops, into North Korea, you must assume that North Korean authorities will review the information those materials and devices contain.  Please be sure that the information you bring with you in any form does not violate North Korea’s laws or regulations, which are among the most restrictive in the world.  If you violate North Korea’s laws, knowingly or unknowingly, you can be harshly punished, even for acts that would not be illegal in the United States. Proselytizing (including handing out Bibles and crosses) is illegal in North Korea.

Where to Obtain a DPRK Visa:  North Korea does not have an embassy in the United States. U.S. citizens and residents planning to travel to North Korea may apply for DPRK visas at the DPRK Embassy in Beijing, China, which will issue visas only upon authorization from the DPRK Foreign Ministry in Pyongyang.  Before departing for China, you may wish to contact the DPRK Embassy in Beijing to confirm it has received authorization from Pyongyang to issue you a visa.

The Embassy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in Beijing:

No. 11, Ritan Bei Lu,
Jianguomen Wai,
Chaoyang District
Beijing, China 100600
Telephone:  (86-10) 6532-6639 (Visa Office)
Telephone:  (86-10) 65312-1186
Facsimile:  (86-10) 6532-6056

If you wish to ask the DPRK whether your application for a visa would be approved, you may address your inquiry to the Permanent Representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the United Nations in New York.

The Permanent Representative of the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea to the United Nations
820 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Telephone:  (212) 972-3105
Facsimile:  (212) 972-3154

If you are abroad in a country with diplomatic relations with the DPRK, you can ask the DPRK embassy in that country for visa advice.

HIV/AIDS Restrictions: The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of North Korea.

Information on dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website.  For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information Sheet.  Please see those sections below under “Special Circumstances.”