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Regardless of your country of origin, your passport has some power. A passport not only opens the door to travel, but also offers other important advantages. A strong passport not only provides financial and educational opportunities, but also provides access to better medical care and living conditions. However, not all passports are created equal. Some countries’ passports have more power than others.
What it means to have a strong passport
Henley & Partners, a global advisory firm, analyzes the strength of passports around the world every quarter. The company’s researchers look at 199 different passports to determine what level of access each has to 227 different destinations around the world. The results are compiled into the Henry Passport Index.
Access to destinations is ranked using International Air Transport Authority (IATA) information. Depending on your passport, you may not need a visa to enter, or you may be able to obtain a visa upon arrival. These “visa-free” passports are considered stronger and ranked accordingly. Passport holders from certain countries are required to obtain a visa before visiting the destination. The more pre-arrival visas you need, the less valid your passport will be.
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Your passport has the power to open doors to the world. Travelers who are required to apply for a visa before visiting their destination may experience fewer travel opportunities as visa applications may not always be approved or may be costly. There is. A lower passport validity means that a person has less global mobility. People with passports from multiple countries have easier access to the world. In fact, it is becoming increasingly common for Americans to seek dual citizenship with EU countries.
2023 most powerful passport
Three Asian countries topped this year’s ranking of the most powerful passports. for 5th consecutive years, Japan has the highest mobility score in the world. 193 destinations are accessible visa-free (or visa-on-arrival) for Japanese passport holders. In short, Japanese passports are the most powerful in the world.
- Japan – 193 destinations
- Singapore and South Korea – 192 destinations
- Germany and Spain – 190 destinations
- Finland, Italy, Luxembourg – 189 destinations
- Austria, Denmark, Holland, Sweden – 188 destinations
- France, Ireland, Portugal, UK – 187 destinations
- Belgium, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, USA – 186 destinations
- Australia, Canada, Greece, Malta – 185 destinations
- Hungary, Poland – 184 destinations
- Lithuania, Slovakia – 183 destinations
Least powerful passport in 2023
At the bottom of the list are 16 passports with 42 or fewer destinations that allow visa-free or visa-on-arrival access. These passports represent some of the most economically and politically difficult places in the world.
- Sudan, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Congo – 42 destinations
- Libya, Kosovo, Bangladesh – 41 destinations
- north korea – 40 destinations
- Nepal, Palestine – 38 destinations
- Somalia – 35 destinations
- Yemen – 34 destinations
- Pakistan – 32 destinations
- Syria – 30 destinations
- Iraq – 29 destinations
- Afghanistan – 27 destinations
Notable Results for Rankings
Henley & Partners has compiled this index for 18 years. In the 2023 rankings, the gap between the highest ranked passports and the lowest ranked passports is wider than ever.
Moreover, over the past nine years, the US passport has lost considerable power. In 2014, this was the most powerful passport.Ranked 7th this yearth Access to 186 visa-free destinations.
UAE moved from 64th up to 15th placeth This indicates its growing popularity and financial success.
Relationship between passport strength and economic power
In addition to creating the Passport Index, Henley & Partners compared the data with information provided by the World Bank. This further study shows a compelling relationship between passport strength and economic power. Only 6% of passports have access to 70% or more of the global economy.
For example, the 193 destinations that are visa-free accessible with a Japanese passport account for 98% of the global economy. In contrast, the lowest ranking passport, Afghanistan, provides visa-free access to less than 1% of the world’s GDP. Inaccessibility to more of the global economy only contributes to global wealth inequality.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com.
