The Passport Index is an interactive online tool by Arton Capital that provides its users with insights about passports, including the ability to compare and rank the world's passports. Rankings are based on the freedom of movement and visa-free travel open to holders of particular passports.[1][2][3] The site allows the display of various territories' passports using a variety of filters such as region and passport cover colour.[4]

The Passport Index
Type of site
Service
OwnerArton Capital
URLwww.passportindex.org
Launched2014; 10 years ago (2014)

World Openness Score

edit

The World Openness Score is a measure or index that tracks the ability of the world's population to travel visa-free. It grew from 17,904 to 20,143 between 2015 and August 2018.[5] But due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the index fell to about 13,000. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, it rose again. In 2022, the index was nearly 22,000.

Methodology

edit

The Passport Index compares passports mainly on their visa-free travel options, but also on how welcoming the countries are to visiting foreigners. In its ranking, The Passport Index looks at 193 United Nations member countries and six territories, which include ROC Taiwan, Macao (SAR China), Hong Kong (SAR China), Kosovo, Palestinian Territory and the Vatican. Territories annexed to other countries such as Norfolk Island (Australia), French Polynesia (France), British Virgin Islands (Britain) are excluded.[6][7]

Visa-free Score

edit

The Passport Index ranks passports based on a "total visa-free score," which assigns passports a point for each country their holders can visit without a visa, with a visa on arrival or by obtaining electronic travel authorization (ETA). The country with the highest visa-free score has the most powerful passport.[8]

Welcoming Score

edit

The Passport Index awards one point to each country's passport which allows its bearer to enter visa-free or with visa on arrival. The country with the highest welcoming score is the most welcoming country in the world.

World Openness Score

edit

The World Openness Score is a measure that reflects the travel openness between countries. It has grown from 17,904 to 18,680 between 2015 and August 2017. On 21 November 2018 it had reached 20,189.

Global Mobility Score

edit

The Global Mobility Score is a benchmark that shows an individual's level of freedom of global mobility reflecting one or more passports in their possession. Higher scores reflect increased freedom of mobility.

Ranking

edit
  • Global Passport Power Rank: World's passports are ranked by their total visa-free score. Countries that share equal visa-free scores, are sorted by the number of visa-free countries portion of that score.
  • Individual Passport Power Rank: Data from the latest UN Human Development Index is used to further break the ties and order the countries in unique ranks.[6]
  • Welcoming Countries Rank: The Passport Index ranks countries by how welcoming they are to other nationalities.

Results

edit

Passport Index rankings are in real-time and continue to vary as new changes to visa agreements are made. For the most part, the Top 10 places have been occupied by European countries with the exception of Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

Between 2017 and 2018, at top of the list with a visa-free score of 165 were Singapore and Germany, while the United States of America, South Korea, France, Denmark and Sweden were among the 11 countries that shared the second spot with a score of 164. The UAE passport now takes first place with a visa-free score of 179, in 2024.[9][10]

Table

edit

Scores and rankings are from the 2022 World Openness Score.[11][12]

Country Score Rank
Afghanistan 38 101
Albania 115 47
Algeria 64 81
Andorra 157 13
Angola 63 82
Antigua and Barbuda 140 26
Argentina 160 12
Armenia 77 68
Australia 171 4
Austria 173 2
Azerbaijan 80 65
Bahamas 146 21
Bahrain 96 53
Bangladesh 49 96
Barbados 152 17
Belarus 91 57
Belgium 172 3
Belize 98 52
Benin 68 77
Bhutan 66 79
Bolivia 85 61
Bosnia and Herzegovina 118 46
Botswana 86 60
Brazil 161 11
Brunei 153 16
Bulgaria 167 8
Burkina Faso 67 78
Burundi 58 87
Cambodia 69 76
Cameroon 59 86
Canada 170 5
Cape Verde 75 70
Central African Republic 61 84
Chad 62 83
Chile 160 12
China 83 62
Colombia 136 29
Comoros 63 82
Congo 57 88
Congo (Dem. Rep.) 55 90
Costa Rica 141 25
Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) 67 78
Croatia 167 8
Cuba 78 67
Cyprus 167 8
Czech Republic 171 4
Denmark 172 3
Djibouti 60 85
Dominica 132 33
Dominican Republic 81 64
Ecuador 101 51
Egypt 65 80
El Salvador 128 36
Equatorial Guinea 65 80
Eritrea 52 93
Estonia 169 6
Eswatini 79 66
Ethiopia 53 92
Fiji 96 53
Finland 173 2
France 173 2
Gabon 68 77
Gambia 72 73
Georgia 125 39
Germany 173 2
Ghana 72 73
Greece 171 4
Grenada 135 30
Guatemala 128 36
Guinea 64 81
Guyana 93 55
Haiti 63 82
Honduras 129 35
Hong Kong 156 14
Hungary 171 4
Iceland 168 7
India 73 72
Indonesia 85 61
Iran 51 94
Iraq 40 99
Ireland 172 3
Israel 151 18
Italy 173 2
Jamaica 96 53
Japan 171 4
Jordan 65 80
Kazakhstan 88 59
Kenya 74 71
Kiribati 124 40
Kosovo 56 89
Kuwait 105 50
Kyrgyzstan 72 73
Laos 63 82
Latvia 169 6
Lebanon 55 90
Lesotho 82 63
Liberia 60 85
Libya 50 95
Liechtenstein 168 7
Lithuania 170 5
Luxembourg 173 2
Macao 138 27
Madagascar 67 78
Malawi 78 67
Malaysia 165 9
Maldives 94 54
Mali 63 82
Malta 170 5
Marshall Islands 124 40
Mauritania 64 81
Mauritius 135 30
Mexico 150 19
Micronesia 120 44
Moldova 121 43
Monaco 163 10
Mongolia 76 69
Montenegro 126 38
Morocco 77 68
Mozambique 66 79
Namibia 80 65
Nauru 90 58
Nepal 55 90
Netherlands 173 2
New Zealand 172 3
Nicaragua 122 42
Niger 64 81
Nigeria 55 90
North Korea 50 95
North Macedonia 128 36
Norway 172 3
Oman 92 56
Pakistan 46 92
Palau 119 45
Palestinian Territories 50 95
Panama 133 32
Papua New Guinea 83 62
Paraguay 137 28
Peru 145 22
Philippines 76 69
Poland 172 3
Portugal 172 3
Qatar 109 48
Romania 167 8
Russian Federation 124 40
Rwanda 70 75
Saint Kitts and Nevis 143 24
Saint Lucia 136 29
Samoa 128 36
San Marino 155 15
Sao Tome and Principe 72 73
Saudi Arabia 92 56
Senegal 67 78
Serbia 136 29
Seychelles 141 25
Sierra Leone 68 77
Singapore 170 5
Slovakia 170 5
Slovenia 169 6
Solomon Islands 131 34
Somalia 44 98
South Africa 106 49
South Korea 173 2
South Sudan 53 92
Spain 173 2
Sri Lanka 55 90
Sudan 54 91
Suriname 85 61
Sweden 173 2
Switzerland 173 2
Syria 39 100
Taiwan 134 31
Tajikistan 69 76
Tanzania 72 73
Thailand 94 54
Togo 64 81
Tonga 124 40
Trinidad and Tobago 138 27
Tunisia 83 62
Turkey 123 41
Turkmenistan 63 82
Tuvalu 127 37
Uganda 71 74
Ukraine 145 22
United Arab Emirates 177 1
United Kingdom 171 4
United States of America 172 3
Uruguay 147 20
Uzbekistan 72 73
Vanuatu 98 52
Vatican City 145 22
Venezuela 124 40
Vietnam 69 76
Yemen 45 97
Zambia 74 71
Zimbabwe 68 77

Case studies

edit

United Arab Emirates

edit

In 2017, The Passport Index was assigned to monitor the development of the newly launched UAE Passport Force Initiative, with the aim to position the Emirati passport on the list of the five most powerful passports in the world by 2021. By 31 October 2018, the Emirati passport had already reached fourth place.[13]

However in 2021, the passport's power trend dropped secondary to the COVID pandemic.[14]

Background

edit

The Passport Index was launched by Arton Capital, a financial services firm with a head office in Montreal, Canada, in 2014.[15][16][17]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "The Passport Index: Which countries are easy to visit?". Al Jazeera. 2017-03-05. Retrieved 2017-09-27.
  2. ^ Lagerquist, Jeff (February 21, 2018). "Where does Canada rank on the list of world's most powerful passports?". CTVnews.
  3. ^ Greenspan, Rachel (September 6, 2018). "These Countries Have the Most Powerful Passports in the World".
  4. ^ Swanson, Ana (April 15, 2015). "A ranking of the world's 'most powerful' passports". The Washington Post.
  5. ^ "World Openness Score". Arton Capital. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  6. ^ a b Cripps, Karla (25 October 2017). "Singapore now offers the world's most powerful passport". CNN.
  7. ^ "PH passport is 67th most 'powerful' in the world". CBN News. January 11, 2018.
  8. ^ Trimble, Megan (October 25, 2017). "Countries With the Most Powerful Passports for Travel". US News. Archived from the original on 2017-10-26.
  9. ^ "World Openness Score - Visa-Free Trends | Passport Index 2022". Passport Index - Global Mobility Intelligence. Retrieved 2022-11-16.
  10. ^ "Classificação global de poder do passaporte 2024 | Passport Index 2024". Passport Index - Global Mobility Intelligence (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-02-18.
  11. ^ "World Openness Score - Visa-Free Trends | Passport Index 2022". Passport Index - Global Mobility Intelligence. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
  12. ^ "Global Passport Power Rank 2022 | Passport Index 2022". Passport Index - Global Mobility Intelligence. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
  13. ^ "UAE passport now world's 4th most powerful". Khaleej times. 31 October 2018.
  14. ^ "Passport Index Trend". Passport Index. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Die besten Pässe für Vielreisende". Der Spiegel (in German). 16 April 2014.
  16. ^ Caline Malek (2017-08-31). "UAE awarded for having most powerful passport in GCC". The National. Retrieved 2017-09-27.
  17. ^ Khalil, Edin. "UAE passport ranks number one globally". www.gulftoday.ae. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
edit