A passport is essential for any international trip. However, some docs are considered “stronger” than others. The most forceful passports in the world are the ones that allow the holder to quickly enter most countries without additional entry requirements such as visas.
Various factors affect freedom of movement and the validity of a passport. The Henley Passport Index (HPI), created by Henley & Partners organization, is considered the authority on the strength of passports. It rates every paper in the world on the freedom of movement it grants.
But what are the greatest passports in the world? The experts of Global Citi-Zen LLC discover the complete list of the strongest passports over the globe in this article. Keep reading!
2022’s Greatest Passports
The investment immigration experts note that the best passports in the world have been selected according to the Henley Passport Index (HPI) based on some criteria. Among them are visa-free entry to different countries, citizen taxation, passport limitations, country perception worldwide, the possibility of dual citizenship, individual independence, press freedom, government monitoring, and required military service. Taking into account these measures, the strongest passports in the globe are:
- Japan;
- Singapore, South Korea;
- Germany, Spain;
- Finland, Italy, Luxembourg;
- Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden;
- France, Ireland, Portugal, United Kingdom;
- Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United States;
- Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Greece, Malta;
- Hungary;
- Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia.
In 2022, the most influential passport in the world regarding freedom of movement is considered the Japanese one. A Japanese-issued passport allows its holder to enter 193 countries and territories without obtaining a visa.
Singapore and South Korea share 2nd place. Passports issued by these countries open up visa-free entry to 192 destinations worldwide.
European Union (EU) countries make up most of the top-rated passports. German and Spanish passports are tied for 3rd place (190 destinations). At the same time Finnish, Italian and Luxembourgish documents are tied for 4th place (189 places). Austrian, Danish, Dutch, and Swedish passports are in 5th place (188 countries).
Passports of France, Ireland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom are presently ranked sixth in the world having access to 187 visa-free countries.
It’s hardly surprising to see American, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand passports in the top 10. The number of nations requiring U.S. citizens to get a visa is small. US passport holders can travel to 186 countries without a visa.
Similarly, British citizens are sometimes required to obtain a visa, with 187 countries and territories not requiring a permit in advance. Meanwhile, Australian and Canadian passports are ranked 8th in the world’s top 10 strongest passports, allowing you to visit 185 visa-free destinations.
Hungary was in the honorable 9th place, allowing visiting 183 settlements without a visa. The last place in the TOP-10 went to Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia, with 182 destinations to enter without a permit.
What Is the Procedure for Ranking Passports?
The more countries a traveler can visit without obtaining a visa, the more powerful this document is.
The Henley Passport Index assesses passports based on how many countries citizens may visit without a visa. (including both embassy and online visas). According to HPI, a passport is more valuable if it grants its owner entrance to a large number of countries that need one or more of the following:
- only a passport;
- electronic travel authorization (eTA)/online visa waiver;
- visa on arrival.
Henley Passport Postcode
According to the 2022 Henley Passport Index, the top 10 most powerful passports have changed little since the last ranking. Japan ranks first in the Passport Index and has an all-time high visa-free or visa-on-arrival score. Japanese passport holders now have unlimited access to 193 destinations.
The United Kingdom is now in sixth place with 187 points, while the UAE has maintained its 15th position — the highest rate ever recorded for the second-largest Arab economy since the index’s inception in 2006.
Qatar and Kuwait are ranked 57th and 59th in the Henley Passport Power Index, while Saudi Arabia is ranked 68th. With the new UK ETA scheme coming into effect in 2023, all GCC citizens will enjoy visa-free travel within the UK.
Indian passport holders can travel freely to 60 countries as India ranks 87th in 2022. On the other hand, Pakistan has visa-free/visa-on-arrival access at 32 locations and ranks 109th in the Passport Index.
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