Welcome to Watch Mojo and today we're counting down our picks for the top ten hardest countries for Americans to visit.

They ask us question(s) more than they make a reservation.

Most people when they purchase their tickets, they are purchasing their nonrefundable tickets.

For this list will be looking at various countries around the world that have the strictest rules regarding visitors from the United States.

We'll be focusing on limitations prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, so coronavirus related bans are not included.

Have you ever visited a country on our list? How hard was it for you to get in? Let us know in the comments.

Number 10, Russia. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, visiting Russia is pretty much off the board for Americans.

But even before this conflict, Americans often needed to jump through hoops to cross the border.

I'm announcing that we will join our allies in closing off American airspace to all Russian flights.

Visas are only granted prior to arrival and you need an invitation letter from someone in the country to even apply for a visa.

Once acquired, you then fill out a lengthy visa application. It requires you to indicate every country you've visited for the last ten years, your education history, parents, names where you've worked, and even professional organizations that you're a member of.

After all that, you hope your passport comes back with a valid visa.

What do you suppose I do in the meantime. - Drive faster.

Number 9, Bhutan. A landlocked between India and China. The country of Bhutan is a place that some tourists may want to visit but get stuck in the details of how to get in.

Good fortune be with you.

The country has no embassy of any kind with the United States.

As a result, the only way to obtain a proper visa to enter the country is through a tour agency.

You can't go to Bhutan. - It's just for a couple of weeks.

The visa application itself is not all that complicated but having to go through a tour operator severely limits the amount of visas issued to anyone wishing to come in.

This unusual policy does, however, keep the sheer number of visitors down, allowing your experience to be that much more special.

Tourism was only allowed starting in the 1970s. The amount of foreign visitors each year is strictly limited to protect Bhutan's culture and environment.

Number 8, Iran. Relations between the US and Iran have been strained for decades and worsened during the Trump administration.

There had been allegations from Donald Trump that Suleimani had been actively plotting against US interests in the region.

This resulted in Iran outright banning any US citizens from entering the country.

The ban has since been lifted but travelers still need to go through several processes to be allowed to visit.

Imagine it's about 40 years after Iran's revolution, a lot of people that they are here, their relatives getting older and older.

Initially they need a travel authorization number. Once acquired, then they can obtain a visitor visa.

However, visitors cannot travel solo within the country, so tourists need to work with a guide to acquire their number and the visa in order to spend any time within the borders of Iran.

There's a lot of students in medicine that have been caught and you can't come back.

They have pending residencies, pending degrees waiting for them, but they can't return. It's not fair at all.

Number 7, Nauru. This island nation is known as the least visited country in the world. It's also the third smallest at just eight square miles.

Economically, Nauru relies heavily on Australia in exchange for hosting an extremely controversial immigration detention center.

Unsurprisingly, it isn't easily visited by tourists.

Americans need to email Nauru immigration to obtain an application form for a visa. Replies can take time.

Applicants must provide a certified copy of their passport, identity pages, proof of an onward flight, and a hotel reservation or a sponsorship from a local resident.

The process is cumbersome and can be very long.

Wanna be visitors then have to make their way to Brisbane Australia to fly to Nauru.

The only accepted currency is the Australian Dollar and make sure to bring a lot of cash before arriving because the ATMs often run out.

Number 6, Turkmenistan. Similar to other entries on this list, US visitors to this part of Central Asia will need a government-sanctioned letter of invitation.

It's essentially a letter form of sponsorship which allows the government to control how many visitors come into the country.

Probably one of the worst places to live in the world.

Absolutely no freedom of the press, absolutely no, where you can voice any kind of opinion.

Although the process can be arduous, you're far more likely to get in this way than through other means.

Some people have tried acquiring a transit visa which allows you to pass through the country but not have an extended stay.

Valid for three days, many of the embassies don't issue these and will force you to go through the proper steps to get a real tourist visa.

Oh, how's it going in Turkmenistan? - Not Great.

Number 5, Eritrea. Eritrea is perhaps not as familiar name to Americans as some other countries on this list, but that doesn't make it easier to visit.

Yet another place that has excessive visa paperwork. You'll need a lot of patience to get it sorted out.

An estimated 5000 people leave Eritrea every month.

Aside from the typical forms, you have to provide proof of flights, a bank statement showing you have money to be there, and a plea document.

It's essentially a letter asking you to explain why you want to visit and possibly name-drop someone over there to help sway officials into thinking you know someone within the country.

I told you once. Don't fucking name-drop me.

It does, however, appear that some of these acquirements are easing. So keep your eye out for changes.

Number 4, Cuba. The inability of Americans to travel to Cuba for pleasure has its roots in the trade embargo established in 1958.

Dallas Texas, 1963. Kennedy had just put a trade embargo on Cuba.

The embargo also extended to Americans who simply wanted to visit the country for pleasure, so as far as official tourism goes, that's still banned and illegal today.

It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile crossing the embargo line that surrounds Cuba as an attack.

However, Americans are permitted to visit the country under 12 different categories of travel that do not include tourism, so apply for a travel license under one of those categories.

You'll always need a Cuba tourist card aka visa to enter the country.

What brings you to Cuba? - Same thing that brings everyone else to Cuba. Culture, people, beauty.

Number 3, Saudi Arabia. Despite the fact that Saudi Arabia is a major supplier of oil to the United States, it has historically been difficult to get a visa to enter the country.

What no man can provide, Mr Lawrence, we need a miracle.

Prior to 2019, they were only issued to individuals who were there on a religious visit to Mecca.

Beyond that, no tourist visa was available and those from the US had little ability to visit.

That's when you were stationed in Saudi Arabia, right, Dad?

However, major changes have been pushing through Saudi Arabia since the election of Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.

On that trip to Saudi Arabia, why isn't it the right time?

Oh, it's personal, Tom. I just I don't feel like leaving home right now.

For the first time the country began offering visitation rights to many countries including the USA. Only time will tell if this remains.

Number 2, Iraq. Given the hostility that exists between these two countries, you may want to reconsider personal travel to this country.

I know all about the war.

Really? Point to Iraq.

Why do you keep a globe on your janitor, Curt? - 'Cause I get lost. I'll give you a hint. It's not the country shaped like a boot.

But should you proceed anyway, you'll need to go through their visa application process and provide your passport, driver's license, a letter indicating why you were traveling there, and the appropriate fee.

Be aware that both a copy and your original passport need to be sent to acquire the visa.

(Does) Anyone in your family, discuss plans to either travel to Iraq or do business thing?

In some cases, despite having filled out everything as needed, embassy officials have been known to just arbitrarily deny applications at random.

Plus the possibility of violence in the area may persuade you to travel elsewhere.

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Number 1, North Korea. As it stands now, North Korea is one of the few countries in the world that US citizens are outright banned from visiting.

During the Trump administration, a ban on travel to the country was issued for anyone with an American passport.

According to the US Bureau of Consular Affairs website, only very specific exceptions are made by the State Department themselves.

What other country in the world is (a) Confucian Communist hereditary dynasty. There's no country like this.

Prior to the ban, personal travel was permitted as long as you were on a contract with a North Korean guide.

This prevented any on your own exploration of the country, but at least you could visit.

Only time will tell if the travel ban will be lifted.

Access deny.

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