Michael Zervos’ Arrival in Detroit Sets New World Record for Fastest Trip to Every Country

Zervos shatters previous world travel record, visiting all 195 countries in just 499 days.

Detroit, May 30, 2025 — After a year-long race against time, traveler and filmmaker Michael Zervos will set a new world record - visiting every one of the 195 UN-recognized countries in 499 days, beating the previous record of 554 days.

He began his journey on January 18, 2024, and after visiting every country on Earth, he will step back onto his hometown soil in Detroit on May 30, 2025. He’ll be warmly welcomed by family and friends with a celebration at Detroit Metro Airport (DTW).

With dual Greek and U.S. passports, Zervos partnered with iVisa, a travel technology company that operates the world's largest visa platform. Powering the backend of his journey, its specialist team secured 62 visas across six continents, leveraging automation, expert knowledge, and real-time support to navigate the unpredictable pace of a record-breaking itinerary.

Travel challenges and critical moments

During the trip, Zervos faced numerous challenges, from closed borders and political unrest to hours-long immigration interviews and even being arrested. He crossed every continent and time zone by plane, train, bus, car, boat, and sometimes even on foot. At times, he entered multiple countries in a single day - racing the clock to stay on track.

The mission nearly derailed when North Korea, one of the most notoriously difficult countries to access, reopened for just two weeks in April 2025 for the first time since the pandemic. Zervos managed to enter during this rare window - a crucial hurdle cleared on the path to the record.

“This was the most intense, unpredictable, and beautiful journey of my life,” says Zervos.

“My journey wasn’t just about breaking a record, it was about finding connection. Every border crossed came with a story - and I couldn’t have done it without iVisa. Their team went above and beyond to make the impossible feel possible.”

More than a record-breaking stunt, Zervos’s trip had a mission. Under the name Project Kosmos, he asked one question in every country:

“What’s the happiest moment of your life?”

His goal: to build a global collection of joy, showing how happiness connects us no matter where we’re from.

He filmed interviews in markets, bus stations, mountain villages, capital cities, and more, often capturing raw, unfiltered responses from strangers who welcomed him into their lives for a few minutes.

“The moment we heard about Michael’s vision, we were all in,” says Sergio Merino, co-founder and CEO of iVisa.

“He’s lived the reality of international travel at full speed, and his feedback on border crossings and visa pain points is invaluable for our customers.

"More importantly, his message reflects our mission: to make the world more accessible, more open, and more human.”

Zervos is now working on a book with Penguin Random House based on Project Kosmos, with plans to share the happiest stories he collected from around the world.

About iVisa

iVisa is the leading provider of travel visa services, offering over 100 documents for dozens of destinations around the globe. Founded in 2013, the company's technology platform is built on the world's largest continuously maintained database of travel and visa requirements. Today, the company provides support to customers in 14 languages and multiple time zones.

About Project Kosmos

Founded by world traveler Michael Zervos, Project Kosmos is a record-breaking storytelling initiative that captures humanity’s most joyful moments - one country at a time. The project celebrates unity, emotion, and shared experience, no matter the passport.