document_title: Visa requirements for Irish citizens

question_text: visa requirements for irish citizens travelling to israel

text: Visa requirements for Irish citizens

text: Visa requirements map[edit]

text: Visa requirements[edit]

text:
Country

Visa requirement

Allowed stay

Notes (excluding departure fees)

Reciprocity

 Afghanistan

Visa required[2]

√

 Albania

Visa not required[3]

90 days

X

 Algeria

Visa required[4]

√

 Andorra

Visa not required[5]

√

 Angola

eVisa[6][7]

30 days

Visitors who have been granted an online pre-visa are then issued with a visa on arrival at Luanda International Airport.[8][9]
For a maximum total stay of 90 days within a one year period.[10]

X

 Antigua and Barbuda

Visa not required[11]

1 month

√

 Argentina

Visa not required[12]

90 days

√

 Armenia

Visa not required[13]

180 days

X

 Australia

eVisitor[14]

90 days

eVisitor, if granted, allows 90 day stay per visit for 12 months.
eVisitor is issued free of charge.

X

 Austria

Visa not required[15]

Freedom of movement

√

 Azerbaijan

eVisa[16]

30 days[17]

X

 Bahamas

Visa not required[18]

3 months

Extension of stay is possible.

√

 Bahrain

eVisa / Visa on arrival[19]

3 months

Visa on arrival is single entry, subject to a fee.
Multiple entry visa available on arrival for 1 month stay.
Irish citizens can also apply for eVisas as an alternative.

X

 Bangladesh

Visa on arrival[20]

30 days

Visitors can apply to extend their stay when in the country.

X

 Barbados

Visa not required[21]

6 months

Visitors must have proof of onward travel, whereby their final destination is their country of residence or origin.

√

 Belarus

Visa not required[22]

30 days

Travellers must arrive via Minsk International Airport to avail of visa-free access.
Travellers must also depart from Minsk International Airport, to a destination outside of Belarus and Russia.
Visa on arrival is not available to tourists travelling from Russia.

X

 Belgium

Visa not required[23]

Freedom of movement

√

 Belize

Visa not required[24]

1 month[25]

√

 Benin

eVisa / Visa on arrival[26][27]

30 days / 8 days

Must have an international vaccination certificate.

X

 Bhutan

Visa required[28]

Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival.
Visitors are required to book with a registered tour operator in Bhutan.

√

 Bolivia

Visa not required[29]

90 days

90 days within any year period

√

 Bosnia and Herzegovina

Visa not required[30]

90 days

90 days within any 6-month period

X

 Botswana

Visa not required[31]

90 days

Extension to the visa-free period must be applied for in advance.

√

 Brazil

Visa not required[32]

90 days

Extension of stay is possible.

√

 Brunei

Visa not required[33]

90 days

√

 Bulgaria

Visa not required[34]

Freedom of movement

√

 Burkina Faso

Visa on arrival[35]

1 month

X

 Burundi

Visa required[36]

Passengers holding an entry authorisation letter from the authorities may obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 1 month.

√

 Cambodia

eVisa / Visa on arrival[37]

30 days

Visa is also obtainable online.[38]
Visitors are not permitted to make day-trips to Cambodia (except in certain circumstances).

X

 Cameroon

Visa required[39]

Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival.

√

 Canada

Visa not required[40]

6 months

eTA required if arriving by air.[41][42]

√

 Cape Verde

Visa on arrival[43]

X

 Central African Republic

Visa required[44]

√

 Chad

Visa required[45]

Visitors holding an 'entry authorisation' letter can pick up a visa on arrival.

√

 Chile

Visa not required[46]

90 days

Visitors are issued an immigration card on arrival and will be prevented from leaving Chile without it.

√

 China

Visa required[47]

72-hour visit without a visa when in transit at Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Guilin, Harbin, Kunming, Qingdao, Wuhan, Xi'an and Xiamen.144-hours visit without a visa when in transit through Beijing Capital International Airport,[48] Dalian, Hangzhou, Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport in Hebei,[49] Nanjing, Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Shanghai Railway Station and the Port of Shanghai); Shenyang and Tianjin Binhai International Airport[50]
Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan do count as third countries under the 72 and 144-hours visa-free visit transit policy.

√

 Colombia

Visa not required[51]

90 days

Visitors may only enter Colombia for up to 180 days in any calendar year.

X

 Comoros

Visa on arrival[52]

45 days

X

 Republic of the Congo

Visa required[53]

√

 Democratic Republic of the Congo

Visa required[54]

√

 Costa Rica

Visa not required[55]

90 days

√

 Côte d'Ivoire

eVisa[56]

3 months

eVisa holders must arrive via Port Bouet Airport

X

 Croatia

Visa not required[57]

Freedom of movement

√

 Cuba

Tourist Card required[58]

√

 Cyprus

Visa not required[59]

Freedom of movement

√

 Czech Republic

Visa not required[60]

Freedom of movement

√

 Denmark

Visa not required[61]

Freedom of movement

√

 Djibouti

eVisa[62]

31 days

X

 Dominica

Visa not required[63]

6 months

√

 Dominican Republic

Visa not required[64]

X

 Ecuador

Visa not required[65]

90 days[25]

Extension of stay is possible.

X

 Egypt

eVisa / Visa on arrival[66][67]

30 days

X

 El Salvador

Visa not required[68]

3 months

√

 Equatorial Guinea

Visa required[69]

√

 Eritrea

Visa required[70]

Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival.

√

 Estonia

Visa not required[71]

Freedom of movement

√

 Ethiopia

eVisa / Visa on arrival[72]

Only available at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport

X

 Fiji

Visa not required[73]

4 months

√

 Finland

Visa not required[74]

Freedom of movement

√

 France

Visa not required[75]

Freedom of movement

√

 Gabon

eVisa / Visa on arrival[76]

90 days

Electronic visa holders must arrive via Libreville International Airport.

X

 Gambia

Visa not required[77]

90 days

X

 Georgia

Visa not required[78]

1 year

X

 Germany

Visa not required[79]

Freedom of movement

√

 Ghana

Visa required[80]

Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival.

√

 Greece

Visa not required[81]

Freedom of movement

√

 Grenada

Visa not required[82]

3 months[25]

√

 Guatemala

Visa not required[83]

90 days

√

 Guinea

Visa required[84]

√

 Guinea-Bissau

eVisa / Visa on arrival[85]

90 days

X

 Guyana

Visa not required[86]

3 months

√

 Haiti

Visa not required[87]

90 days

X

 Honduras

Visa not required[88]

3 months

√

 Hungary

Visa not required[89]

Freedom of movement

√

 Iceland

Visa not required[90]

Freedom of movement

√

 India

e-Visa[91]

60 days

e-Visa holders must arrive via 25 designated airports[Note 1] or 3 designated seaports.[Note 2][92]
An Indian e-Tourist Visa can only be obtained twice in one calendar year.

X

 Indonesia

Visa not required[93]

30 days

Not available at all entry points.

X

 Iran

Visa on arrival[94]

30 days[95]

A visa on arrival is only available at Qeshm, Kish, Mashhad, Isfahan, Shiraz, Tabriz and Tehran.
Extension of stay is possible.
Women will be refused entry if not wearing Islamic head cover, scarf, long sleeves or stockings.
All foreigners must report to the Iranian police within 8 days of arrival.
Visa on arrival excludes all reporters, journalists, photographers and cameramen, who must obtain a visa prior to entering Iran.
A visa on arrival for business travellers is available if holding a letter of invitation from a government agency which is issued at least 2 days prior to arrival.

X

 Iraq

Visa required[96]

Visa on arrival is available at Sulaimaniyah and Erbil airports and stays are limited to 15 days, with an extension of stay possible.

√

 Israel

Visa not required[97]

3 months

Extension of stay is possible.

√

 Italy

Visa not required[98]

Freedom of movement

√

 Jamaica

Visa not required[99]

90 days

X

 Japan

Visa not required[100]

90 days

Extension of stay is possible.

√

 Jordan

Free visa on arrival[101]

6 months

A free visa on arrival may be obtained only when travel is organised through an authorised tour operator in Jordan. The tour group must not consist of less than 5 people and there must be a minimum 2 night stay in Jordan. A return ticket must be presented to avail of this visa option.
All other passengers who are not travelling as part of a tour group may obtain a visa on arrival, subject to a fee. The visa on arrival has a maximum validity of 6 months.

X

 Kazakhstan

Visa not required[102]

30 days

X

 Kenya

eVisa / Visa on arrival[103]

3 months

X

 Kiribati

Visa not required[104]

30 days

√

 North Korea

Visa required[105]

√

 South Korea

Visa not required[106]

90 days

√

 Kuwait

eVisa / Visa on arrival[107]

3 months

X

 Kyrgyzstan

Visa not required[108]

60 days

X

 Laos

Visa on arrival[109]

30 days

Conditions apply.
Available at international airports Luangphabang, Pakse, Savannakhet and Vientiane, and at 4 land borders Friendship Bridge,[Note 3] and at 13 border crossings[Note 4] as well as Tanalaeng train station in Vientiane, which connects to the train station in Nongkai, Thailand.[110]
Entry points Lalai, Lantui, Meuang mom, Pakxan, and Phoudou are open only to visa holders.
Extendable up to 60 days.

X

 Latvia

Visa not required[111]

Freedom of movement

√

 Lebanon

Free visa on arrival[112]

1 month

Free visa on arrival can be granted whenever a telephone number and address in Lebanon is provided.
Visa can be extended for an additional two months.

X

 Lesotho

Visa not required[113]

90 days

√

 Liberia

Visa required[114]

Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival, subject to conditions.

√

 Libya

Visa required[115]

Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival.
Passengers arriving in Libya must hold a non-objection form issued by the Libyan Immigration Authorities.
All travellers arriving in Libya for tourism must convert $1000 USD in freely convertible currency, or debit the amount from a credit card upon arrival in the country.

√

 Liechtenstein

Visa not required[116]

Freedom of movement

√

 Lithuania

Visa not required[117]

Freedom of movement

√

 Luxembourg

Visa not required[118]

Freedom of movement

√

 Macedonia

Visa not required[119]

90 days

X

 Madagascar

Visa on arrival[120]

90 days

A visa on arrival is only granted for those who have a return ticket.

X

 Malawi

Visa on arrival[121]

90 days

A residence permit must be obtained for those wishing to stay beyond 90 days.

X

 Malaysia

Visa not required[122]

3 months

If no return ticket is held, one must be purchased at the border or entry will be refused.

√

 Maldives

Visa on arrival[123]

30 days[25]

X

 Mali

Visa required[124]

√

 Malta

Visa not required[125]

Freedom of movement

√

 Marshall Islands

Free visa on arrival[126]

90 days

X

 Mauritania

Visa on arrival[127]

Available at Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport.

X

 Mauritius

Visa not required[128]

90 days

180 days maximum stay in any one calendar year.

X

 Mexico

Visa not required[129]

180 days

√

 Micronesia

Visa not required[130]

30 days

Extension of stay is possible.

X

 Moldova

Visa not required[131]

90 days

90 days within any 180 day period

X

 Monaco

Visa not required[132]

√

 Mongolia

Visa required[133]

√

 Montenegro

Visa not required[134]

90 days

X

 Morocco

Visa not required[135]

90 days

X

 Mozambique

Visa on arrival[136]

30 days

Not available at all entry points.
Extension of stay is possible.

X

 Myanmar

eVisa[137]

28 days

eVisa holders must arrive via Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw or Mandalay airports.

√

 Namibia

Visa not required[138]

3 months

X

 Nauru

Visa required[139]

Visa requirement waived for holders of an Entry Permit letter.

X

   Nepal

Visa on arrival[140]

90 days

Extension of stay is possible of up to 150 days.
Business travellers can obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 5 years, subject to a fee and a license issued by the Ministry of Industry.

X

 Netherlands

Visa not required[141]

Freedom of movement (European Netherlands)

√

 New Zealand

Visa not required[142]

3 months

√

 Nicaragua

Visa not required[143]

90 days

Tourist card must be obtained on arrival, subject to a fee.
Extension of stay is possible.

√

 Niger

Visa required[144]

√

 Nigeria

Visa required[145]

Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival.

√

 Norway

Visa not required[146]

Freedom of movement

√

 Oman

eVisa[147]

30 days

A visa waiver is in place for travellers who are arriving directly from the Emirate of Dubai who have a visa or an entrance stamp from Dubai, whereby the visa must be valid for 21 days at least upon arrival in Oman.
A visa waiver is in place for travellers who are arriving directly from Qatar, whereby the visa must state as being valid for Oman and must be valid for at least one month on arrival.

X

 Pakistan

Visa required[148]

Visa on arrival when travelling on business valid for 30 days. Conditions apply.[149]

√

 Palau

Free visa on arrival[150]

30 days

Extension is possible for a fee.

X

 Panama

Visa not required[151]

180 days

√

 Papua New Guinea

Free visa on arrival[152]

60 days

Visa on arrival available at Port Moresby and Rabaul.
Tourists can obtain a visa on arrival free of charge, whilst those travelling on business must pay in cash.

X

 Paraguay

Visa not required[153]

90 days

√

 Peru

Visa not required[154]

183 days

X

 Philippines

Visa not required[155]

30 days

A visa on arrival is available for a maximum stay of 59 days.
Extension of stay is only possible for those who obtained a visa on arrival, to a maximum of 1 year.

X

 Poland

Visa not required[156]

Freedom of movement

√

 Portugal

Visa not required[157]

Freedom of movement

√

 Qatar

Visa not required[158]

30 days

Visa waiver available for Irish citizens with a 30 day extension available.

X

 Romania

Visa not required[159]

Freedom of movement

√

 Russia

Visa required[160]

Visa waiver available for passengers arriving by cruise only who are staying in Russia for a maximum of 72 hours.

√

 Rwanda

eVisa / Visa on arrival[161]

30 days

X

 Saint Kitts and Nevis

Visa not required[162]

3 months

Extension of stay is possible.

√

 Saint Lucia

Visa not required[163]

6 weeks

Extension of stay is possible.

√

 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Visa not required[164]

1 month

Extension of stay is possible.

√

 Samoa

Free Entry Permit on arrival[165]

60 days

Extension of stay is possible.

√

 San Marino

Visa not required[166]

√

 São Tomé and Príncipe

Visa not required[167]

15 days

X

 Saudi Arabia

Visa required[168]

Muslim female passengers are subject to restrictions when arriving for Umrah or Hajj.

√

 Senegal

Visa not required[169]

90 days

X

 Serbia

Visa not required[170]

90 days

Irish citizens may stay in Serbia for 90 days within any 6-month period.
Extension is possible.

X

 Seychelles

Free Visitor's Permit on arrival[171]

3 months[25]

Irish citizens can extend their stay for three months, up to a maximum of 12 months.
Visitor's permit is issued free of charge, subject to documentation being provided at the entry point.

√

 Sierra Leone

Visa required[172]

Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival.

√

 Singapore

Visa not required[173]

90 days

Extension of stay possible.

√

 Slovakia

Visa not required[174]

Freedom of movement

√

 Slovenia

Visa not required[175]

Freedom of movement

√

 Solomon Islands

Free Visitor's permit on arrival[176]

3 months

√

 Somalia

Visa on arrival[177]

Available at Berbera, Borama, Burao, Erigavo and Hargeisa airports.
30 days, available at Bosaso Airport, Galcaio Airport and Mogadishu Airport.

X

 South Africa

Visa not required[178]

90 days

Extension of stay possible for an additional 90 days.

√

 South Sudan

Visa required[179]

√

 Spain

Visa not required[180]

Freedom of movement

√

 Sri Lanka

eVisa / Visa on arrival[181]

30 days

Extension of stay possible for an additional 150 days for Irish citizens.

X

 Sudan

Visa required[182]

√

 Suriname

Visa required[183]

Visa on arrival is available to countries without Suriname representation for a maximum of 2 months, subject to prearranged approval.

√

 Swaziland

Visa not required[184]

30 days[25]

Extension of stay possible for a maximum of 90 days in total.

√

 Sweden

Visa not required[185]

Freedom of movement

√

  Switzerland

Visa not required[186]

Freedom of movement

√

 Syria

Visa required[187]

√

 Tajikistan

Visa on arrival[188]

45 days

Visa also available online. E-visa holders can enter through all border points.[189]

X

 Tanzania

Visa on arrival[190]

Fee payable in USD at border.

X

 Thailand

Visa not required[191]

30 days

ACMECS Single Visa issued by Cambodia and Thailand are valid for 90 days from the date of issue and are valid for a stay of 60 days in Thailand.
Extension of stay is possible.
Maximum two visits annually if not arriving by air.

X

 Timor-Leste

Visa on arrival[192]

30 days

Extension of stay possible for up to 90 days.

X

 Togo

Visa on arrival[193]

7 days

Extension of stay possible for an additional 90 days, subject to a fee.

X

 Tonga

Visa on arrival[194]

31 days

Visa on arrival is issued free of charge.
Extension of stay for a further 5 months is possible.

X

 Trinidad and Tobago

Visa not required[195]

90 days

√

 Tunisia

Visa not required[196]

3 months

X

 Turkey

eVisa[197]

3 months

X

 Turkmenistan

Visa required[198]

Pre-approved visa can be picked up on arrival.

√

 Tuvalu

Visa on arrival[199]

1 month[25]

X

 Uganda

eVisa / Visa on arrival[200]

Must be applied for online before travel.[201]
An East Africa Tourist Visa issued by Kenya or Rwanda can also be used for entry.[202]

X

 Ukraine

Visa not required[203]

90 days

90 days within any 180 day period.

X

 United Arab Emirates

Visa on arrival[204]

30 days

Visa on arrival is free of charge to Irish citizens.
Extension of stay is possible for a further 30 days.

X

 United Kingdom

Visa not required[205]

Freedom of movement (in Constituent countries)

√

 United States

Visa Waiver Program[206]

90 days

ESTA required if arriving by air or cruise ship.[207]
ESTA is valid for two years when issued.
Holders of non-biometric passports must obtain a visa for the United States as they are ineligible to apply for an ESTA.
Leaving the United States and re-entering from Canada or Mexico will not reset the original 90 day maximum stay. You can only reset the timer by leaving North America.

√

 Uruguay

Visa not required[208]

90 days

Extension of stay is possible for a further 90 days.

√

 Uzbekistan

eVisa[209][210]

30 days

5-day visa free transit when in transit at the international airports on condition of holding a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country.[211]

X

 Vanuatu

Visa not required[212]

30 days[25]

√

  Vatican City

Visa not required[213]

√

 Venezuela

Visa not required[214]

90 days

Extension of stay is possible for a further 90 days.

X

 Vietnam

eVisa[215]

30 days

A single entry eVisa is available.[216]
Fee payable.

X

 Yemen

Visa required[217]

√

 Zambia

Visa not required[218]

90 days

For those travelling to Zambia for business, the maximum stay is 30 days in any one-year period.
Tourists are allowed 90 days in any one-year period.

X

 Zimbabwe

eVisa / Visa on arrival[219]

3 months

For those travelling to Zimbabwe for business, a visa on arrival can also be issued for a maximum stay of 30 days.

X

text: Territories[edit]

text: Visa requirements for Irish citizens for visits to various territories, disputed areas, partially recognized countries and restricted zones:

text:
Abkhazia — Visa required.[220]
 Artsakh — Visa required (issued for single entry for 21 days/1/2/3 months or multiple entry visa for 1/2/3 months).[221][222]Travellers with Artsakh visa (expired or valid) or evidence of travel to Artsakh (stamps) will be permanently denied entry to Azerbaijan.[223]
 Mount Athos — Special permit required (4 days: 25 euro for Orthodox visitors, 35 euro for non-Orthodox visitors, 18 euro for students). There is a visitors' quota: maximum 100 Orthodox and 10 non-Orthodox per day and women are not allowed.[224][225]
 Brest and Grodno — Visa not required for 10 days.[226]
 Crimea — Visa issued by Russia is required.[227]
 Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus — Visa free access for 3 months. Passport required.[228]
 UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus — Access Permit is required for travelling inside the zone, except Civil Use Areas.[229]
 Faroe Islands — Visa not required.[230]
 Gibraltar — Visa not required.[231]
 Guernsey – Visa not required.[232]
  Alderney – Visa not required.[233]
  Sark – Visa not required.[234]
 Isle of Man — Visa not required.[235][236]
 Jan Mayen — permit issued by the local police required for staying for less than 24 hours[237] and permit issued by the Norwegian police for staying for more than 24 hours.[238]
 Jersey – Visa not required.[239]
 Kosovo — visa free for 90 days.[240]
 Closed cities and regions in Russia — special authorization required.[241]
 South Ossetia — Visa free. Multiple entry visa to Russia and three-day prior notification are required to enter South Ossetia.[242][243]
 Transnistria — Visa free. Registration required after 24h.[244][245]

text:
Eritrea (outside Asmara) — visa covers Asmara only; to travel in the rest of the country, a Travel Permit for Foreigners is required (20 Eritrean nakfa).[246]
 Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Western Sahara controlled territory) — Visa not required up to 3 months.[247]
 Somaliland — Visa issued on arrival (30 days for 30 US dollars, payable on arrival).[248][249]
 Sudan — All foreigners traveling more than 25 kilometers outside of Khartoum must obtain a travel permit.
 Darfur — Separate travel permit is required.[250]

text:
Hong Kong — Visa not required for 90 days.[251]
 India — Protected Area Permit (PAP) required for whole states of Nagaland and Sikkim and parts of states Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh. Restricted Area Permit (RAP) required for all of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of Sikkim. Some of these requirements are occasionally lifted for a year.[252][253][254][255][256][257]
 Iraqi Kurdistan — Visa on arrival for 15 days is available at Erbil and Sulaymaniyah airports.[258]
 Kazakhstan — Special permission required for the town of Baikonur and surrounding areas in Kyzylorda Oblast, and the town of Gvardeyskiy near Almaty.[259]
 Kish Island — Visitors to Kish Island do not require a visa.[260]
 Macao — Visa not required for 90 days.[261]
 Sabah and Sarawak — These states have their own immigration authorities and passport is required to travel to them, however the same visa applies.[262]
 Maldives — With the exception of the capital Malé, tourists are generally prohibited from visiting non-resort islands without the express permission of the Government of Maldives.[263]
 North Korea outside Pyongyang – People are not allowed to leave the capital city, tourists can only leave the capital with a governmental tourist guide (no independent moving)

text:
Palestine — Visa not required. Arrival by sea to Gaza Strip not allowed.[264][265]
 Taiwan — Visa not required for 90 days.[266]
 Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province — OIVR permit required (15+5 Tajikistani Somoni) and another special permit (free of charge) is required for Lake Sarez.[267][268][269]
 Turkmenistan — A special permit, issued prior to arrival by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is required if visiting the following places: Atamurat, Cheleken, Dashoguz, Serakhs and Serhetabat.[270]
 Tibet Autonomous Region — Tibet Travel Permit required (10 US Dollars).[271][272][273]
 Korean Demilitarized Zone — restricted zone.
 UNDOF Zone and Ghajar — restricted zones.
 Phú Quốc — can visit without a visa for up to 30 days.[274]
 Yemen — Special permission needed for travel outside Sana’a or Aden.[275]

text:
Anguilla — Visa not required for 3 months.[276]
 Aruba — Visa not required for 30 days.[277]
 Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba — Visa not required for 3 months.[278]
 Bermuda — Visa not required for 21 days (extendable).[279][280]
 British Virgin Islands — Visa not required for 1 month (extendable).[281][282]
 Cayman Islands — Visa not required for 6 months.[283][284]
 Colombia — Visitors arriving at San Andrés and Leticia must buy tourist cards on arrival.[285]
 Curacao — Visa not required for 3 months.[286]
 Montserrat — Visa not required for 6 months.[287]
 Greenland — Visa not required.[230]
 Margarita Island — All visitors are fingerprinted.[288]
 Puerto Rico — Visa not required under the Visa Waiver Program, for 90 days on arrival from overseas for 2 years. ESTA required.[289]
 Saint Pierre and Miquelon — Visa not required.[290]
 Sint Maarten — Visa not required for 3 months.[291]
 Turks and Caicos Islands — Visa not required for 90 days.[292][293]
 U.S. Virgin Islands — Visa not required under the Visa Waiver Program, for 90 days on arrival from overseas for 2 years. ESTA required.[294]

text:
American Samoa — Visa required (entry permit).[295]
 Ashmore and Cartier Islands — special authorisation required.[296]
 Clipperton Island — special permit required.[297]
 Cook Islands — Visa free access for 31 days.[298]
 Lau Province — Special permission required.[299]
 French Polynesia — Visa not required.[300]
 Guam — Visa not required under the Visa Waiver Program, for 90 days on arrival from overseas for 2 years. ESTA required.[301]
 New Caledonia — Visa not required for 3 months.[302]
 Niue — Visa on arrival valid for 30 days is issued free of charge.[303]
 Northern Mariana Islands — Visa not required.[304]
 Pitcairn Islands — 14 days visa free and landing fee 35 USD or tax of 5 USD if not going ashore.[305][306][307][308]
 Tokelau — Entry permit required.[309]
 United States Minor Outlying Islands — special permits required for Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island.[310][311][312][313][314][315][316]
 Wallis and Futuna — Visa not required.[317]

text: Galápagos — Online pre-registration is required. Transit Control Card must also be obtained at the airport prior to departure.[318]

text:
Falkland Islands — Visitor Permit valid for 4 weeks is issued on arrival.[319][320]
 Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
 Ascension Island — Entry Permit must be obtained minimum 28 days in advance (3 months for 20/30 pounds sterling, single/double entry).[321]
 Saint Helena — Entry Permit (£25) for 183 days is issued on arrival.[322]
 Tristan da Cunha — Permission to land required for 15/30 pounds sterling (yacht/ship passenger) for Tristan da Cunha Island or 20 pounds sterling for Gough Island, Inaccessible Island or Nightingale Islands.[323]
 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands — Pre-arrival permit from the Commissioner required (72 hours/1 month for 110/160 pounds sterling).[324][325][326]
Antarctica and adjacent islands — special permits required for  French Southern and Antarctic Lands,  Argentine Antarctica,  Australian Antarctic Territory,  Chilean Antarctic Territory,  Heard Island and McDonald Islands,  Peter I Island,  Queen Maud Land,  Ross Dependency.[327][328][329][330][331][332][333][334][335][336][337]

text: Non-ordinary passports[edit]

text: Holders of diplomatic or official passports of Ireland have additional visa-free access to Kuwait. Holders of diplomatic or service passports of any country have visa-free access to Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Mali and Zimbabwe.

text: Non-visa restrictions[edit]

text: Many countries have entry restrictions on foreigners that go beyond the common requirement of having either a valid visa or a visa exemption. Such restrictions may be health related or impose additional documentation requirements on certain classes of people for diplomatic or political purposes.

text: Passport validity length[edit]

text: Many countries require passports to be valid for at least 6 months upon arrival.[338] However, some countries have bilateral agreements with other countries to shorten the period of passport validity required for each other's citizens[339][340] or even accept passports that have already expired (but not been cancelled).[341]

text: In the absence of specific bilateral agreements, countries requiring passports to be valid at least 6 months on arrival include Afghanistan, Algeria, Anguilla, Bahrain, Bhutan, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq (except when arriving at Basra and Erbil or Sulaimaniyah), Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Somaliland, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen and Zimbabwe.[dead link]

text: Countries requiring passports valid for at least 4 months on arrival include Micronesia and Zambia.

text: Countries requiring passports valid for at least 3 months on arrival include European Union countries (except Denmark, Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom), and always excepting EU/EEA/Swiss nationals); Albania; Belarus; Georgia; Honduras; Iceland; Jordan; Kuwait, Lebanon; Liechtenstein; Moldova; Monaco; Nauru; Panama, Saint Barthélemy; San Marino; Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.

text: Bermuda requires passports to be valid for at least 45 days upon entry.

text: Countries that require a passport validity of at least one month on arrival include Eritrea, Hong Kong, Macao, New Zealand and South Africa.[dead link]

text: Other countries require either a passport valid on arrival or a passport valid throughout the period of the intended stay.

text: Blank passport pages[edit]

text: Many countries require a minimum number of blank pages in the passport being presented, generally one or two pages.[342] Endorsement pages, which often appear after the visa pages, are not counted as being available.

text: Vaccination[edit]

text: Many African countries, including Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Zambia, require all incoming passengers to have a current International Certificate of Vaccination.

text: Some other countries require vaccination only if the passenger is coming from an infected area or has recently visited one.[343]

text: Israeli stamps[edit]

text: Kuwait,[344] Lebanon,[345] Libya,[346] Saudi Arabia,[347] Sudan,[348] Syria[349] and Yemen[350] do not allow entry to people with passport stamps from Israel or whose passports have either a used or an unused Israeli visa, or where there is evidence of previous travel to Israel such as entry or exit stamps from neighbouring border posts in transit countries such as Jordan and Egypt.

text: To circumvent this Arab League boycott of Israel, the Israeli immigration services have now mostly ceased to stamp foreign nationals' passports on either entry to or exit from Israel. Since 15 January 2013, Israel no longer stamps foreign passports at Ben Gurion Airport, giving passengers a card instead that reads: "Since January 2013 a pilot scheme has been introduced whereby visitors are given an entry card instead of an entry stamp on arrival. You should keep this card with your passport until you leave. This is evidence of your legal entry into Israel and may be required, particularly at any crossing points into the Occupied Palestinian Territories." [351] Passports are still (as of  22 June 2017[update]) stamped at Erez when travelling into and out of Gaza. Also, passports are still stamped (as of  22 June 2017[update]) at the Jordan Valley/Sheikh Hussein and Yitzhak Rabin/Arava land borders with Jordan.

text: Iran refuses admission to holders of passports containing an Israeli visa or stamp that is less than 12 months old.

text: Armenian ethnicity[edit]

text: Due to a state of war existing between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the government of Azerbaijan not only bans entry of citizens from Armenia, but also all citizens and nationals of any other country who are of Armenian descent, to the Republic of Azerbaijan[352][353] (although there have been exceptions, notably for Armenia's participation at the 2015 European Games held in Azerbaijan).

text: Azerbaijan also strictly bans any visit by foreign citizens to the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh[354] (the de facto independent Republic of Artsakh), its surrounding territories and the Azerbaijani exclaves of Karki, Yuxarı Əskipara, Barxudarlı and Sofulu which are de jure part of Azerbaijan but under control of Armenia, without the prior consent of the government of Azerbaijan. Foreign citizens who enter these occupied territories will be permanently banned from entering the Republic of Azerbaijan[355] and will be included in their "list of personae non gratae".[356] As of late 2017 the list contains 699 persons.

text: Upon request, the authorities of the largely unrecognized Republic of Artsakh may attach their visa and/or stamps to a separate piece of paper in order to avoid detection of travel to their country.

text: Criminal record[edit]

text: Some countries (for example, Canada and the United States[357]) routinely deny entry to non-citizens who have a criminal record.

text: Persona non grata[edit]

text: The government of a country can declare a diplomat persona non grata, banning their entry into that country. In non-diplomatic use, the authorities of a country may also declare a foreigner  persona non grata permanently or temporarily, usually because of unlawful activity. Attempts to enter the Gaza strip by sea may attract a 10-year ban on entering Israel.[358]

text: Fingerprinting[edit]

text: Several countries mandate that all travellers, or all foreign travellers, be fingerprinted on arrival and will refuse admission to or even arrest those travellers that refuse to comply. In some countries, such as the United States, this may apply even to transit passengers who merely wish to quickly change planes rather than go landside.[359]

text:
Fingerprinting countries include Afghanistan,[360][361] Argentina,[362]
Brunei,
Cambodia,[363]
China when entering through Shenzhen airport,[364]
Ethiopia,[365]
Ghana, India,
Japan,[366][367]
Malaysia upon entry and departure,[368]
Paraguay, Saudi Arabia,[369] Singapore, South Korea,[370]
Taiwan[371] and the United States.[372]

text: Additionally, the United Arab Emirates conducts iris scanning on visitors that need to apply for a visa.[373][374]

text: Common Travel Area[edit]

text: The Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, together with its Crown Dependencies of Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man make up a Common Travel Area where:

text:
No ID is required for travel by land for British or Irish citizens
Only photographic ID is required for travel by air or sea for British or Irish citizens (but some airlines - such as Ryanair - may mandate passports for all

text: However, there are occasionally checks on coaches and trains moving between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Citizens of third countries must have passports and, if required, visas to travel between the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

text: British visas don't enable travel to Ireland for people without agreement with Ireland, and vice versa. (Although both the UK and the Republic are members of the European Union, neither are members of the Schengen Area so Schengen visas are not valid for travel to the Common Travel Area. Air and sea passengers travelling between the Common Travel Area and the Schengen Area are subject to systematic passport/identity checks.)

text: Right to consular protection in non-EU countries[edit]

text: As citizens of the European Union, all Irish citizens have the right to seek consular assistance and protection from embassies of fellow EU member states when they are in a non-EU country without an Irish embassy.

text: See also List of diplomatic missions of Ireland.


document_title: List of most-followed Twitter accounts

question_text: who has the largest twitter following in the world

root

text: List of most-followed Twitter accounts

text: This list contains the top 50 accounts with the largest number of followers on the social media platform Twitter.[1] As of April 9, 2018, the most followed person is American singer Katy Perry, with over 108 million followers. Her account was the first to exceed 100 million followers, in June 2017.[2]

tag: p

text: Top 50 accounts[edit]

text: The following table lists the top 50 most followed accounts on Twitter, with each total rounded to the nearest million followers, as well as the profession or activity of each user, and their country of origin.[1]

text:
Rank
Account name
Owner
Followers
(millions)
Profession
Country

1.
@katyperry
Katy Perry
109
Musician
 United States

2.
@justinbieber
Justin Bieber
106
Musician
 Canada

3.
@BarackObama
Barack Obama
101
Former U.S. President
 United States

4.
@rihanna
Rihanna
87
Musician
 Barbados

5.
@taylorswift13
Taylor Swift
86
Musician
 United States

6.
@ladygaga
Lady Gaga
78
Musician
 United States

7.
@TheEllenShow
Ellen DeGeneres
77
Comedian
 United States

8.
@Cristiano
Cristiano Ronaldo
72
Footballer
 Portugal

9.
@YouTube
YouTube
72
Social media platform
 United States

10.
@jtimberlake
Justin Timberlake
66
Musician and actor
 United States

11.
@twitter
Twitter
63
Social media platform
 United States

12.
@KimKardashian
Kim Kardashian West
59
Reality TV personality
 United States

13.
@britneyspears
Britney Spears
58
Musician
 United States

14.
@ArianaGrande
Ariana Grande
57
Musician
 United States

15.
@selenagomez
Selena Gomez
56
Musician and actress
 United States

16.
@ddlovato
Demi Lovato
56
Musician and actress
 United States

17.
@cnnbrk
CNN Breaking News
55
News
 United States

18.
@shakira
Shakira
52
Musician
 Colombia

19.
@jimmyfallon
Jimmy Fallon
51
Comedian
 United States

20.
@realDonaldTrump
Donald Trump
50
U.S. President
 United States

21.
@BillGates
Bill Gates
45
Businessman and philanthropist
 United States

22.
@JLo
Jennifer Lopez
45
Musician and actress
 United States

23.
@Oprah
Oprah Winfrey
42
Businesswoman
 United States

24.
@BrunoMars
Bruno Mars
42
Musician
 United States

25.
@narendramodi
Narendra Modi
42
Prime Minister of India
 India

26.
@nytimes
The New York Times
42
Newspaper
 United States

27.
@KingJames
LeBron James
41
Basketball player
 United States

28.
@MileyCyrus
Miley Cyrus
41
Musician and actress
 United States

29.
@CNN
CNN
40
Television channel
 United States

30.
@NiallOfficial
Niall Horan
40
Musician
 Ireland

31.
@instagram
Instagram
39
Social media platform
 United States

32.
@neymarjr
Neymar
39
Footballer
 Brazil

33.
@BBCBreaking
BBC Breaking News
38
News
 United Kingdom

34.
@Drake
Drake
37
Rapper
 Canada

35.
@SportsCenter
SportsCenter
36
Television show
 United States

36.
@KevinHart4real
Kevin Hart
35
Comedian
 United States

37.
@iamsrk
Shah Rukh Khan
35
Actor
 India

38.
@espn
ESPN
34
Television channel
 United States

39.
@LilTunechi
Lil Wayne
34
Rapper
 United States

40.
@SrBachchan
Amitabh Bachchan
34
Actor
 India

41.
@wizkhalifa
Wiz Khalifa
34
Rapper
 United States

42.
@Louis_Tomlinson
Louis Tomlinson
33
Musician
 United Kingdom

43.
@Pink
Pink
33
Musician
 United States

44.
@LiamPayne
Liam Payne
33
Musician
 United Kingdom

45.
@BeingSalmanKhan
Salman Khan
33
Actor
 India

46.
@Harry_Styles
Harry Styles
32
Musician
 United Kingdom

47.
@onedirection
One Direction
32
Band
 UK /  Ireland

48.
@aliciakeys
Alicia Keys
31
Musician
 United States

49.
@KAKA
Kaká
30
Footballer
 Brazil

50.
@realmadrid
Real Madrid C.F.
30
Football club
 Spain

As of April 6, 2018[update]

tag: table


document_title: Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

question_text: where did the rockefeller tree come from 2014

text: Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

text: Selection and decoration[edit]

text: Trees are traditionally donated to Rockefeller Center, which in turn donates the lumber after display. Until his death in 2009, the late David Murbach,[4] Manager of the Gardens Division of Rockefeller Center, scouted for the desired tree in upstate New York and surrounding states, and even Ottawa, Canada.[5]

text: The trees are now scouted by Erik Pauzé, Head Gardener at Rockefeller Center. Pauzé visits nurseries throughout the tri-state area while keeping his eye out for one-of-a-kind backyard trees. Trees may also be submitted for consideration through Rockefeller Center's web site. Pauzé and his team choose each year’s tree based on its heartiness and “Christmas tree shape,” as well as its ability to support the heavy ornaments.[6]

text: Once a tree is selected, a crane supports the tree while it is cut, then moved to a custom telescoping trailer able to transport trees up to 125 feet (38 m) tall, although the width of city streets around Rockefeller Center limits the height of the tree to 100 feet (30 m). Local business Christmas Tree Brooklyn provides support in delivering the tree safely into the city. On its way to Manhattan, the tree is often dressed in giant red bows or banners extending holiday greetings to witnesses. Trucks, barges, and even a transport plane have all been used to help the tree make the trip.[7]

text: Once at Rockefeller Center, the tree is supported[8] by four guy-wires attached at its midpoint and by a steel spike at its base. Scaffolding is erected around the tree to assist workers in hanging about 50,000 multi-colored LED lights and the star top.[9] The crystal star that has topped the tree since 2004 is 9.5 feet (2.9 m) in diameter and weighs 550 pounds (250 kg). This "Swarovski Star," containing 25,000 Swarovski crystals, 1 million facets, and LED lights, was created by German artist Michael Hammers.[10][11]

text: History[edit]

text: Although the official Christmas tree tradition at Rockefeller Center began in 1933 (the year 30 Rockefeller Plaza opened), an unofficial tradition began during the Depression-era construction of the Center, when workers decorated a smaller 20 foot (6.1 m) balsam fir with "strings of cranberries, garlands of paper, and even a few tin cans" on Christmas Eve (December 24, 1931), as recounted by Daniel Okrent in his history of Rockefeller Center.[12] According to Rockefeller Center, workers pooled their money for that unlit tree, with the garlands made by workers' families.

text: With the lighting of the 50-foot-tall (15 m) first official tree two years later, the tree became what Rockefeller Center dubbed "a holiday beacon for New Yorkers and visitors alike." A skating rink was opened below the tree in the plaza in 1936.[2] Rockefeller Center has observed the tree to be "from the beginning ... a gathering place and reflection of what was happening in the world around it."[13]

text: World War II ushered in simple, patriotic decorations, including red, white and blue unlit globes and painted wooden stars. In 1942, instead of one large tree, three more modest trees were raised, each decorated in one of the flag's colors. From 1944 until the war's end in 1945, the tree went unlit due to blackout regulations.[2] After the war, the year of darkness was left behind, as six ultraviolet light projectors were employed to make it appear as though the tree’s 700 fluorescent globes were glowing in the dark.[2]

text: By the 1950s, workers began using scaffolding to decorate the tree, as larger trees were accommodated. Before the decade was over, the decorating process called for 20 workers and nine days.[14] 1951 marked the first time that NBC televised the tree lighting with a special on The Kate Smith Show.[2]

text: In 1969, artist Valerie Clarebout’s towering wire herald angels were added to the Channel Gardens in front of the tree near Fifth Avenue. Clarebout created the 12 sculptures using 75 points of metal wire each.[15]

text: The 1971 tree, a 65-footer from East Montpelier, Vt., was the first to be mulched and recycled. It was turned into 30 three-bushel bags of mulch for the nature trails of upper Manhattan. Though the tree typically makes its journey on a truck bed, in 1998 it was flown in from Richfield, Ohio on the world’s largest transport plane.[2]

text: 1999 saw Rockefeller Center's tallest tree, a 100 foot (30 m) spruce from Killingworth, Conn.[16] In 2001, following the events of September 11, the tree was again decorated in hues of red, white and blue.[17]

text: In 2007, the tree went "green", converting to energy-efficient lighting with LEDs.[18] [19] The LEDs use 1,200 fewer kilowatts of electricity per day, enough to power a 2,000-square-foot home for a month.[2]

text: Also since 2007, each year after display, the tree has been milled into lumber and donated to Habitat for Humanity for use in house construction. [20]

text: The 2016 tree, a Norway Spruce from Oneonta, N.Y., is at 94 feet high the second tallest ever erected at Rockefeller Center. At 56 feet wide and over 30,000 pounds, the tree is the widest and heaviest to date, according to construction crews. [21]

text: Since 2011, the tree lighting ceremony has been followed by the singing of Joy to the World.

text: The decorated tree remains on display at Rockefeller Plaza, between West 48th and 51st Streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues, at least through January 6 of the new year.

text: More than a half million people pass by the tree each day while it is on display, according to Rockefeller Center.[22]

text: Broadcasting[edit]

text: Since 1997, the lighting ceremony has been broadcast live on NBC in the first hour of primetime, live in the Eastern and Central time zones, and on tape elsewhere.[23] The ceremony is hosted by Today's Al Roker(1997- Present ), Savannah Guthrie (2012- Present ),and Hoda Kotb (2017- Present )

text: Yearly tree details[edit]

text:
Year
Original location
Tree type
Height
Lighting

2017
State College, PA[24]
Norway spruce
75 ft
November 29, 2017

2016
Oneonta, NY[25]
Norway spruce
94 ft
November 30, 2016

2015
Gardiner, NY[26]
Norway spruce
78 ft
December 2, 2015

2014
Danville, PA[27]
Norway spruce
85 ft
December 3, 2014

2013
Shelton, CT[28]
Norway spruce
76 ft
December 4, 2013

2012
Flanders, NJ[29]
Norway spruce
80 ft
November 28, 2012

2011
Mifflinville, PA
Norway spruce
74 ft
November 30, 2011

2010
Mahopac, NY[30]
Norway spruce
74 ft
November 30, 2010

2009
Easton, CT[31]
Norway spruce
76 ft
December 2, 2009

2008
Hamilton, NJ[32]
Norway spruce
72 ft
December 3, 2008

2007
Shelton, CT[33]
Norway spruce
84 ft
November 28, 2007

2006
Ridgefield, CT[34]
Norway spruce
88 ft
November 29, 2006

2005
Wayne, NJ[35]
Norway spruce
74 ft
November 30, 2005

2004
Suffern, NY[36]
Norway spruce
71 ft
November 30, 2004

2003
Manchester, CT[36]
Norway spruce
79 ft
December 3, 2003

2002
Bloomsbury, NJ[37]
Norway spruce
76 ft
December 4, 2002

2001
Wayne, NJ
Norway spruce
81 ft
November 28, 2001

2000
Buchanan, NY[38]
Norway spruce
80 ft
November 29, 2000

1999
Killingworth, CT[39]
Norway spruce
100 ft*
December 1, 1999

1998
Richfield, OH[40]
Norway spruce
75 ft
December 2, 1998

1997
Stony Point, NY
Norway spruce
70 ft
December 2, 1997

1996
Armonk, NY[41]
Norway spruce
90 ft
December 3, 1996

1995
Mendham, NJ
Norway spruce
75 ft
December 5, 1995

1994
Ridgefield, CT
Norway spruce
85 ft
December 2, 1994

1989
Montebello, NY[42]
Norway spruce
70 ft

1986
Nanuet, NY[43]
Norway spruce
68 ft

1980
Mahwah, NJ[44]
Norway spruce
70 ft

1978
Mahwah, NJ[45]
Norway spruce
75 ft

1963
Rockaway, NJ
Bruce Fir, Veit
84 ft

1957
Brighton, VT[46]
White spruce
67 ft

text: *Tallest Tree on Record

tag: ul


document_title: Home Alone

question_text: where does the first home alone take place

text: Home Alone

text: Plot[edit]

text: The McCallister family is preparing to spend Christmas in Paris, gathering at Peter and Kate's home outside of Chicago on the night before their departure. Peter and Kate's youngest son, eight-year-old Kevin, is being ridiculed by his siblings and cousins. A fight with his older brother, Buzz, results in Kevin getting sent to the third floor of the house for punishment, where he wishes that his family would disappear. During the night, heavy winds cause damage to power lines, which causes a temporary power outage and resets the alarm clocks, causing the entire family to oversleep. In the confusion and rush to get to the airport, Kevin is accidentally left behind.

text: Kevin wakes up to find the house empty and, thinking his wish has come true, is overjoyed with his new-found freedom. However, Kevin soon becomes frightened by his next door neighbor, "Old Man" Marley, who is rumored to have murdered his family with a snow shovel in 1958; as well as the "Wet Bandits", Harry and Marv, a pair of burglars who have been breaking into other vacant houses in the neighborhood and have targeted the McCallisters' house. Kevin tricks the pair into thinking his whole family is home, forcing them to put their plans on hold.

text: Kate discovers mid-flight that Kevin is missing and, upon arrival in Paris, the family discovers that all flights for the next two days are booked. Peter and the rest of the family go to his brother Rob's apartment in the city while Kate manages to get a flight back to the United States, only to get as far as Scranton, Pennsylvania. She attempts to book a flight to Chicago but again, everything is booked. Unable to accept this, Kate is overheard by Gus Polinski, the lead member of a traveling polka band, who offers to let her travel with them to Chicago on their way to Milwaukee in a moving van, which she graciously accepts.

text: Meanwhile, Harry and Marv realize that Kevin is home alone, and on Christmas Eve, Kevin overhears them discussing plans to break into his house that night. Kevin goes to church and watches a choir perform. He meets Old Man Marley, who sits with Kevin and they briefly speak; he learns that Marley is actually a nice man and that the rumors about him are false. He points to Kevin his granddaughter in the choir, whom he never gets to meet as he and his son are estranged and have not been on speaking terms for some time; Kevin suggests that he try to reconcile with his son.

text: Kevin returns home and rigs the house with numerous booby traps. Harry and Marv break in, spring the traps, and suffer various injuries. While the duo pursues Kevin around the house, he calls the police and flees the house, luring the duo into a neighboring vacant home. Harry and Marv manage to catch him and discuss how they will get their revenge, but Marley sneaks in and knocks them unconscious with his snow shovel before they can do anything to Kevin. The police arrive and arrest Harry and Marv, having identified all the houses they burgled due to the latter's habit of flooding them.

text: On Christmas Day, Kevin is disappointed to find that his family is still gone. He then hears Kate enter the house and call for him; they reconcile and are soon joined by the rest of the McCallisters, who waited in Paris until they could get a direct flight to Chicago. Kevin keeps silent about his encounter with Harry and Marv, although Peter finds Harry's missing gold tooth. Kevin then observes Marley reuniting with his son and his family. Marley notices Kevin and the pair wave to each other before Marley and his family go inside his house. Buzz suddenly calls out, "Kevin, what did you do to my room?!" at which point Kevin runs off.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Macaulay Culkin as Kevin
Joe Pesci as Harry
Daniel Stern as Marv
John Heard as Peter
Roberts Blossom as Marley
Catherine O'Hara as Kate
Angela Goethals as Linnie
Devin Ratray as Buzz
Gerry Bamman as Uncle Frank
Hillary Wolf as Megan
Larry Hankin as Officer Balzak
John Candy as Gus Polinski

text: Production[edit]

text: Home Alone was initially a Warner Bros. production; when 20th Century Fox took over the project, the budget grew from $14 to $17 million.[5] Columbus' work with Home Alone began several years earlier when Hughes helped him secure the directing job for National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. That project ended poorly when a personality clash between Columbus and Chevy Chase led to Columbus leaving the movie. Hughes then gave him the script to Home Alone, which he accepted.[6]

text: Hughes suggested to Columbus that they cast Macaulay Culkin in the main role because of his experience with the child actor while shooting Uncle Buck. Columbus met with other actors for the part, by his count "hundreds and hundreds", as he felt it was his "directorial responsibility".[7] Columbus finally met with Culkin and agreed he was the right choice for the role. Due to Culkin's age, he could only work until 10 PM which created shooting problems for the crew because of the movie's many night-time scenes.[7] The film's stunts also created tension for the crew during shooting. Columbus said, "Every time the stunt guys did one of those stunts it wasn’t funny. We’d watch it, and I would just pray that the guys were alive." [7] Stunts were originally prepared with safety harnesses, but because of their visibility on camera, the film's final stunts were performed without them.[7]

text: Some scenes were shot in a three-story single-family house located at 671 Lincoln Avenue[8] in the village of Winnetka.[9] The kitchen in the film was shot in the house, along with the main staircase, basement, attic and most of the first floor landing. The house's dining room, and all the downstairs rooms (excluding the kitchen) were duplicated on a sound stage to allow more room for equipment and crew.[10] The house was built in 1920 and features five bedrooms, a fully converted attic, a detached double garage and a greenhouse.[11] The tree house in the back yard was built specifically for the film and dismantled after filming ended.[12]

text: The scenes inside the church were shot at Grace Episcopal Church, Oak Park, Illinois.[13]

text: For the film within a film, Angels with Filthy Souls, shooting took only one day. To create the illusion that the film was a 1940s gangster film, the scene was filmed with black-and-white negative film and Johnny's office used authentic items from that era.[14]

text: In May 2011, the house was listed for sale at $2.4 million;[15] it sold in March 2012 for $1.585 million.[8] The house is promoted as a tourist attraction and cited as an example of "How to Get Your Home in the Movies."[16]

text: Music[edit]

text: Initially Columbus hoped to have Bruce Broughton score the films, and early posters listed him as the composer. However, Broughton was busy with The Rescuers Down Under and he had to cancel at the last minute.[7] From there Columbus was able to get in touch with Steven Spielberg who helped him contact John Williams to produce the final score.[7] Christmas songs, such as "O Holy Night" and "Carol of the Bells", are featured prominently in the film, as well as the film's theme song "Somewhere in My Memory". The soundtrack was released by Sony Classical in cassette on December 4, 1990[17] and in CD on May 27, 2015.[18]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Box office[edit]

text: Home Alone grossed $285.8 million in the United States and Canada and $190.9 million in other countries for a worldwide total of $476.7 million, against a production budget of $18 million.[2]

text: In its opening weekend, Home Alone grossed $17 million from 1,202 theaters, averaging $14,211 per site and just 6% of the final total and added screens over the next six weeks, with a peak screen count of 2,174 during its eighth weekend at the start of January 1991. Home Alone proved so popular that it stayed in theaters well past the Christmas season. It was the No. 1 film at the box office for 12 straight weeks, from its release weekend of November 16–18, 1990 through the weekend of February 1–3, 1991.[19][20] It was finally dethroned from the top spot when Sleeping with the Enemy opened with $13 million.[20] It nevertheless remained a top ten draw at the box office until the weekend of April 26 that year, which was well past Easter weekend. It made two more appearances in the top ten (the weekend of May 31–June 2 and the weekend of June 14–16) before finally falling out of the top ten.[21] After over nine months into its run, the film had earned 16x its debut weekend and ended up making a final gross of $285,761,243, the top-grossing film of its year in North America.[22] The film is listed in the Guinness World Records as the highest-grossing live-action comedy ever.[23]

text: By the time it had run its course in theaters, Home Alone was the third-highest-grossing film of all time worldwide, as well as in the United States and Canada behind only Star Wars ($322 million at the time) and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ($399 million at that time), according to the home video box. In total, its cinema run grossed $477,561,243 worldwide.[20][24] Box Office Mojo estimates that the film sold over 67.7 million tickets in the US.[25]

text: According to William Goldman, the film's success prompted the creation of a Hollywood verb: "to be Home Aloned", meaning to have a film's box office reduced by the impact of Home Alone.[26]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: On Rotten Tomatoes, Home Alone holds an approval rating of 62% based on 50 reviews, with an average rating of 5.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Home Alone's uneven but frequently funny premise stretched unreasonably thin is buoyed by Macaulay Culkin's cute performance and strong supporting stars."[27] On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating, it has a score of 63 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[28] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.[29]

text: Variety magazine praised the film for its cast.[30] Jeanne Cooper of The Washington Post praised the film for its comedic approach.[31] Hal Hinson, also of The Washington Post, praised Chris Columbus's direction and Culkin's acting.[32] Although Caryn James of The New York Times complained that the film's first half is "flat and unsurprising as its cute little premise suggests", she praised the second half for its slapstick humor. She also praised the conversation between Kevin and Marley, as well as the film's final scenes.[33]

text: Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film a 2 1⁄2 out of 4-star rating. He compared the elaborate booby-traps in the film to Rube Goldberg machines, writing "they're the kinds of traps that any 8-year-old could devise, if he had a budget of tens of thousands of dollars and the assistance of a crew of movie special effects people" and criticized the plot as "so implausible that it makes it hard for [him] to really care about the plight of the kid [Kevin]". However, he praised Culkin's performance.[34] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly magazine gave the film a "D" grade, criticizing the film for its "sadistic festival of adult-bashing". Gleiberman said that "[John] Hughes is pulling our strings as though he'd never learn to do anything else".[35]

text: Home Alone has become a holiday classic among audiences and is often ranked as one of the best Christmas films of all time.[36][37][38][39]

text: Accolades[edit]

text: The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, one for Best Original Score, which was written by John Williams, and the other for Best Original Song for "Somewhere in My Memory", music by Williams and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse.[40]

text: Sequels[edit]

text: The film was followed by a commercially successful sequel in 1992, Lost in New York, which brings back the first film's cast. The film within a film, Angels with Filthy Souls, had a sequel in Home Alone 2, Angels with Even Filthier Souls. Both Angels meta-films featured character actor Ralph Foody as stereotypical 1930s mobster Johnny.[41]

text: Home Alone 3, released in 1997, has completely different actors, and a different storyline with Hughes writing the screenplay.

text: A fourth made-for-TV film followed in 2002, Home Alone 4. This entry features some of the same characters who were in the first two films, but with a new cast and a storyline that does not fall into the same continuity. Hughes did not write the screenplay for the TV film.

text: On November 25, 2012, a fifth film, The Holiday Heist premiered during ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas programming event.[42]

text: In December 2015, Culkin reprised his role as an adult Kevin McCallister in the inaugural episode of the Jack Dishel web series, "DRYVRS", where a visibly disturbed Kevin recounts his experience of being left home alone by his family.[43] In response to Culkin's video, Daniel Stern appeared in a short video reprising his role as Marv, released in conjunction with Stern's Reddit AMA, where he pleads for Harry to return to help protect him against Kevin's cunning traps.[44]

text: Novelization[edit]

text: Home Alone (ISBN 0-590-55066-7) was novelized by Todd Strasser and published by Scholastic in 1990 to coincide with the film.

text: Among the differences from the film the McCallisters live in Oak Park, Illinois, the Wet Bandits are named as Harry Lyme and Marv Murchens and Buzz's tarantula is named as Axl.

text: On October 6, 2015, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the movie, an illustrated book by Kim Smith and Quirk Books was released.[45][46]