While we’d never turn down a trip through the wealth of nature-filled landscapes (including more than 60 national parks), culture-packed cities, and unexpected corners in the United States, sometimes a vacation calls for a complete change of scenery.
Maybe your passport is expired. Maybe it’s stuck in processing. Or maybe you’re planning a last-minute trip and don’t have time to wait. The good news is that as a U.S. citizen with a valid Real ID and/or birth certificate, you don’t have to stay home.
It might sound like a travel hack, visiting turquoise-water Caribbean destinations or remote Pacific islands without ever pulling out a passport. But thanks to a handful of U.S. territories and a little-known cruise loophole, it’s entirely possible. These places can feel far from everyday life, no passport required.
U.S. territories and commonwealths
Guam
Micronesia’s most populous island, more than 6,000 miles southwest of Los Angeles, has all the trappings of paradise: golden sand beaches, swaying palms, cascading waterfalls, and a laid-back culture. Since Guam is a U.S. territory, U.S. citizens are considered domestic travelers, and no passport is required—if you connect through Honolulu (the other options are flying through Tokyo and Seoul, which would require a passport). You will, however, need a Real ID and an original or certified birth certificate.
Puerto Rico
Tiny Culebra, off the east coast of Puerto Rico’s main island, is known for its coral reefs and mangrove forests.
Photo by Wenhao Ruan/Unsplash
With wildly diverse terrain, snorkeling and diving opportunities, and colorful historic towns, Puerto Rico makes a compelling case for leaving the mainland for awhile. Although Puerto Rico isn’t a state, a trip to the island is considered domestic. U.S. citizens are not required to have a passport to visit Puerto Rico; they just need a Real-ID compliant form of identification, such as a driver’s license or state ID card.
U.S. Virgin Islands
There are options for travelers without passports when it comes to the Caribbean, including St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Photo by Caleb Holden/Unsplash
If you’re keen on a holiday that involves gazing at shimmering turquoise water and listening to the rhythmic shush of waves breaking on the beach, consider another Caribbean gem: the U.S. Virgin Islands. All you need to visit St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix (beyond a plane ticket or cruise booking) is a valid Real ID and an original or certified birth certificate; you’ll soon be sipping cocktails on pristine beaches, snorkeling with riotously colorful fish, and dancing to steel drums.
Northern Mariana Islands
Go even further off the grid and head to the Northern Mariana Islands.
Photo by Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock
The Northern Mariana Islands, a remote archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean just northeast of Guam, are another spot for sun-seekers from the USA to experience tropical landscapes and crystal-clear water without a passport. As with Guam, you’ll need to choose a flight path that doesn’t have layovers in countries where passports are required, like Japan. Your best option is to fly through Honolulu and Guam to Saipan, the capital of this U.S. commonwealth. To enter, you’ll need a Real ID plus your original or certified birth certificate.
International closed-loop cruises that don’t require a passport
Book a closed-loop cruise that includes Belize and you can snorkel in the pristine waters of places like Hol Chan Marine Reserve without needing a passport.
Photo by Ana Singh/Unsplash
Another loophole for passport-less travelers who would like to experience an international locale is a “closed-loop” cruise. A closed-loop cruise is a sailing that starts and ends at the same U.S. port and only visits select countries or territories in the Western Hemisphere. On these cruises, passengers aren’t required to have a passport. The countries include:
- Aruba
- The Bahamas
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Belize
- Canada
- Cayman Islands
- Costa Rica
- Dominican Republic
- Honduras
- Jamaica
- Mexico
- St. Maarten
- Turks and Caicos
However, travelers still need to have proof of citizenship. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, that can include an Enhanced Driver’s License (currently available only to residents of Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington); a government-issued birth certificate (original or certified); or an official Certificate of Naturalization.
In addition to the above, all passengers need a photo ID. A Real ID and an Enhanced Driver’s License are not the same. The Real ID is useful for flying but can only be used for closed-loop cruises if you also have your birth certificate.
Note that if the cruise stops even in a single country or territory where passports are required (such as Barbados, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Bart’s, or Trinidad and Tobago), you’ll need a passport for the entire journey. It is recommended that passengers bring a passport on these cruises, even if it’s not technically required, in case you need to leave the cruise early and fly to or from an international destination.
This article was originally published in 2023 and most recently updated on April 16, 2026, with current information. Shayla Martin contributed to the reporting of this story.
