Do I have to have a 'permit' to travel to certain areas of the world?

Do I have to have a 'permit' to travel to certain areas of the world?

Joel Widzer (Travel Strategist) gives expert video advice on: What is a 'visa'?; When do I need a visa?; What are the different kinds of visas? and more...

There are certain countries that U.S. citizens are not allowed to travel to. For instance, Cuba is one of them. However, you can get a permit to travel to Cuba if it's for educational purposes. If a journalist is traveling, and there's other countries such as Iraq which are difficult to travel to, which may require special permits. What you need to do is to check with the State Department and find out what countries are on the restricted list and which countries you are allowed to travel and find out what countries require additional documentation.