Global VIPs: 25 Most Powerful Passports in the World
Having a passport is a privilege not everyone around the globe is lucky to enjoy. Even for those who do, numerous factors influence how easily they can travel to other countries.
Global Citizen Solutions recently released its 2024 Quality of Life Index, ranking the 25 friendliest passports in the world. Do you know where the United States ranks?
Ranking Passport Friendliness
Global Citizen Solutions used and weighted the following factors to determine how friendly (and unfriendly) a passport is:
- Enhanced mobility (50%)
- Investment (25%)
- Quality of life (25%)
They used quantitative data from several respected institutions, including but not limited to The World Bank and the World Economic Forum. These are the friendliest passports in the world.
1: Germany
Germany has the friendliest passport in the world, according to the Global Passport Index. Germans only need to apply for a non-electronic visa in 23 countries, and thanks in great part to being in the Schengen Area, they have visa-free access to 37 countries without a limit on the number of days they can stay.
2: United States
American travelers have lots to be thankful for: The United States ranks as the second friendliest passport in the world. Although Americans have visa-free access to only four countries compared to Germany’s 37, they have visa-free access with a limited number of days in 106 countries. Americans can apply for on-arrival visas in 38 countries and must apply for a non-electronic visa in advance to visit 24 countries.
3: Sweden
Like Germans, Swedes are able to travel to all but 23 countries without applying for a non-electronic visa in advance. They also have unlimited visa-free visiting access to 37 countries, although they can “only” access 81 countries visa-free with a limited stay.
4: Denmark
As another member of the Schengen region, Danes have nearly the same passport privileges as Germany and Sweden. So, why is Denmark ranked beneath them? It ranks as a relatively low 26 on the investment index scale, meaning it might not be as favorable of a place for business people to want to move to or work with.
5: Netherlands
There’s a minor difference between Denmark and the Netherlands in terms of international accessibility: The Dutch have one less country where they have visa-free access with a limited number of days (80 countries instead of 81).
6: Finland
The Northern European country of Finland joins its Schengen peers in ranking high for passport friendliness. To top it off, Finland ranks number one in the world for quality of living, according to the Global Passport Index.
7: United Kingdom
Since Brexit officially took place in January 2020, citizens of the United Kingdom currently only have visa-free access to seven countries without a time limit. That said, they can still enter a respectable 103 countries visa-free with a set, limited number of days.
8: Canada
America’s northern neighbor is almost as good on the passport-friendliness scale as the U.S. However, Canadians have four fewer country options for entering visa-free with a limited stay.
9: Norway
Norway citizens can stay for a limited time in 78 countries without applying for a visa. They have free access without a limit to 37 countries and must apply for a visa on arrival to 31 countries.
10: Switzerland
Switzerland rounds out the top ten countries with the friendliest passports. The Swiss “only” have visa-free, unlimited access to 36 countries. They must apply for an electronic visa before visiting 26 countries.
11: Monaco
The minuscule, upscale country of Monaco packs a decent punch for its passport friendliness. Europeans that call Monaco home have visa-free, limited-stay access to 99 countries. However, they only have visa-free limitless access to four countries.
12: Luxembourg
Luxembourg citizens must apply for a visa to visit 23 of the world’s countries before arriving in them. Like their fellow Schengen neighbors, they have visa-free access to 37 countries.
13: Singapore
Based on the Global Passport Index’s findings, Singapore has the friendliest passport in Asia. Singaporeans must apply for a non-electronic visa in advance to 22 countries. They have visa-free access to seven countries and free access with a limited number of days in 115 countries.
14: Ireland
The Irish have access to 71 countries without a visa and for a set number of days. But taking into account their visa-free, unlimited access to 39 countries, they rank well on this list. People with an Irish passport may receive on-arrival visas in 38 countries.
15: France
The land of croissants and the Eiffel Tower offers its citizens a decently friendly passport. French citizens only need to apply for a non-electronic visa in advance in 23 countries, and they have visa-free access to 37 countries.
16: Australia
Australians need to apply for a visa on arrival to 41 countries, which is something many citizens would rather do than go through the process of applying for a non-electronic visa in the 23 countries that require it. Australian passport holders can access six countries visa-free without a limit and 99 countries visa-free with a time limit.
17: New Zealand
Compared to Australia, New Zealanders have one less country (five countries) to which they have visa-free access. That drops them below Australia in the Global Passport Index’s passport-friendliness ranking, even though they can enter four more countries than Australia visa-free with a limit on the number of days they stay.
18: Liechtenstein
Nestled between Austria and Switzerland, Liechtenstein is in the Schengen area but isn’t a European Union member. Liechtensteiners have visa-free access to 37 countries and visa-free access with a limited stay to 75 countries.
19: Austria
Austrians can arrive in 30 countries and apply for a visa on the spot, while enjoying 37 countries they can access visa-free without a time stamp. Like many of the countries on this list, Austrian passport holders must apply for a non-electronic visa in advance to 23 countries.
20: Japan
The Japanese have visa-free access to only two countries. However, they can enter 109 countries without a visa and on a limited stay. They’re also able to apply for a visa on arrival in 39 countries.
21: Spain
Like citizens from other Schengen countries, Spanish passport holders have visa-free access to 37 countries. The Spanish can access 81 countries without a visa but can only stay for a limited timeframe.
22: Belgium
There’s one fewer country Belgians can visit visa-free on a limited stay compared to Spain: 80 countries instead of 81. Belgians can also apply for an on-arrival visa in 30 countries.
23: Czech Republic
Czech Republic passport holders are able to enter 78 countries on a limited stay and without a visa. As with their Schengen neighbors, they have visa-free access to 37 countries.
24: United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the only Middle Eastern country to make this top 25 list of the friendliest passports in the world. UAE citizens have access to 10 countries visa-free with no stay limit, and 103 countries with a limited stay. They can also apply for a visa in 42 countries upon arrival.
25: South Korea
South Korean passport holders are able to visit 111 countries without a visa as long as they stay for a limited number of days. They have visa-free, unlimited stays in two countries, and there are 40 countries where they can apply for a visa upon arrival.
Unfriendliest Passport
North Korea has the unfriendliest passport in the world, according to the Global Passport Index. Citizens who manage to obtain a passport have visa-free access to only two countries with an unlimited stay and seven countries with a limited stay. A whopping 125 countries require North Koreans to apply for a non-electronic visa before visiting them.
Runners Up
The city-state of Vatican City has the second unfriendliest passport in the world. Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Yemen come in second to fifth places for passport unfriendliness, respectively.
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