World Passport Ranking 2023

The best passport in the world, which will allow you to travel the world without a visa, is a very useful asset today. After two years of isolation and restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone wants to travel more than ever. World Passport Ranking 2022 showshow many countries visa holders can visit without a visa. With the right passport in hand, you are one step closer to visiting your favorite destination or meeting up with friends living abroad.

What is the power of a passport

  •  Every year, Henley & Partners, an international consulting company, publishes the Henley Passport Index, which evaluates which passport makes it possible to travel to the largest number of countries without a visa. The ranking uses data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and ranks passports based on the number of countries that their holders can visit without a visa.

  •  A valid passport is the first thing we need to travel. Other things that come to mind are a good suitcase, a bank card with cashback, and an adventurous attitude. However, on the legal front, what matters most is where you come from, or rather where you got your passport from.

  •  You can register for a visa in advance or upon arrival. Moreover, some visas are easy to obtain, for example by submitting an online application, while others must be obtained at the embassy after a thorough and lengthy check.

  •  Some countries have visa agreements that allow travelers from certain countries to visit without a visa. An agreement is between two countries or an association of them (the EU is one example) and it usually allows citizens to stay in the other country without a visa for a certain period of time.

The best passports in the world 2022 according to Henley Passport Index

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has temporarily changed the travel industry, other factors such as internal conflicts and security concerns have also affected it. "Wealthier countries have gained freedom of movement at the expense of poorer countries, which have faced rising barriers to entry in recent years", the report emphasizes.

1. Citizens of Japan and Singapore have the strongest passport in the world – they can travel without a visa to 192 destinations. This is 165 countries more than Afghanistan's passport holders, which ranks last in 111th place.
2. South Korea shares second place with Germany (190 points),
3. Finland, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain are in third place with 189 points.
4. The EU countries already traditionally dominate the top of the list of strongest passports, with the Netherlands and Sweden moving up one position, joining Austria and Denmark in fourth place (with a score of 188).
5. France, Ireland, England and Portugal are in fifth place (187 points).
6. The sixth position is shared by Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the USA. Residents of these countries can travel visa-free to 186 countries around the world.
7. The seventh position is occupied by Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Greece and Malta (185 countries).
8. Only one country is on the eighth line – Hungary (183 points).
9. But Poland, Lithuania and Slovakia claim the ninth place.
10. Estonia, Latvia and Slovenia close the top 10 passports of the world, their citizens are allowed into 181 countries without visas.

Russia, Ukraine and geopolitics

  •  Surprisingly, the index of the most influential passports in the world often has a geopolitical connotation. In 2022, for example, Russia has been an outsider due to sanctions, travel bans and restrictions.

  •  In the meantime, Ukrainian passports have gained ground as many countries have provided asylum to Ukrainian refugees.

  •  Ukraine ranks 34th on the list with visa-free access to 143 countries – a record high for this country – while Russia now ranks modestly 49th with visa-free access to 117 countries.

Worst Passports of 2023

1. Afghanistan has the weakest passport (112th). Afghans can only visit 26 countries without a visa. Before Afghanistan come:
2. Iraq, his passport allows entry to 28 destinations without obtaining a visa before travel.
3. Syria – 29 countries.
4. Pakistan – 31 countries.
5. Yemen – 33 countries.
6. Somalia – 34 countries.
7. Palestine and Nepal – 27 countries.
8. North Korea – 39 countries.
9. Libya, Kosovo and Bangladesh – 40 countries.
10. Sudan, Sri Lanka and Lebanon – with these passports they are allowed to enter 41 countries without visas.