Passports can reflect global inequalities and shifting geopolitical fortunes. Some allow holders to travel abroad with ease, while others require visa applications, document submissions, and waiting periods.
How passport strength has changed
In the last 10 years, more countries have gained access to more destinations. Armand Arton, who runs Passport Index, a website that tracks visa requirements, says: “People think that walls are increasing as the extreme right is coming [into government] in various places around the world. But what the statistics are saying is that an increasing number of countries are signing visa-free agreements.”
A passport’s strength is measured by a mobility score, counting countries, states and territories its holder can enter visa-free, with a visa on arrival, an electronic travel authorisation (ETA), or a fast-track e-visa.
Biggest climbers in the rankings
Small island nations saw their passport strength rise as they earned visa-free status from developing countries. Arton attributes this to their small populations, which are not seen as a security threat, and a moral obligation to offer visa-free travel to climate crisis frontline nations.
China moved up by expanding bilateral agreements with regional neighbours. Since signing a visa-free agreement with Singapore in February 2024, travel between the two countries increased sharply.
Countries signing visa-free agreements with the Schengen area (29 European countries) can shoot up the ranking almost overnight. Georgia, Ukraine and Kosovo are among the biggest climbers.
Vjosa Musliu, an associate professor at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, describes the joy of seeing relatives and friends able to travel with a Kosovan passport. “These were upper-middle class people with decent jobs who never travelled because of the cost of getting a visa, which is sometimes close to £300,” she says. “[People] who wanted to see grandmas and grandpas and not celebrate birthdays on FaceTime.” But she adds that visa-free travel does not guarantee free entry: “Technically you can travel for free, but there is still subjective interrogation that takes place at borders.”
Lowest-ranking passports
Most passports have gained mobility, but some have fallen. Vanuatu dropped 14 positions after the EU and UK removed it from their visa-exempt list due to concerns over its investor citizenship scheme. The US fell five places to ninth tier, mostly due to reciprocity from countries tightening visa systems in response to Washington’s stricter requirements.
Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan and Somalia remain at the bottom. An Afghan passport allows visa-free travel to only three countries, requiring visas for 113 others. Afghan holders are also barred from entering the US, where citizens of 19 countries face a full travel ban and 20 face partial restrictions.
Omar Artan, the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup, was denied entry to the US. Syed Hussain, a visual artist from Pakistan, was granted US residency in 2019 but took three attempts until he finally received a visa in 2024. “You get the chance to go somewhere, and they hold you back for five years, and they don’t give you the reason why, they just give you a yellow paper and refuse the visa,” Hussain said. “It’s a 10-minute interview in which you cannot clarify your things, or bring your portfolio.”
Reciprocity measures
Passport Index introduced a “welcoming score”, counting countries whose passport holders can enter a destination visa-free, with a visa on arrival, ETA or e-visa. The US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand hold strong passports but keep their borders relatively closed. Conversely, South Sudan, Nigeria, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have weak passports but admit foreign visitors easily.
The Schengen effect
The 29 Schengen countries (plus four with the same rules) grant visa-free access to almost half the world. Those who cannot travel visa-free must obtain a visa in advance, mostly from south and south-east Asia, northern Africa, central Asia, the Middle East, and most of sub-Saharan Africa.
The future
Passport mobility is likely to increase through new bilateral and regional agreements. Africa remains the least integrated region, with only 29% of travel within the continent visa-free. More countries are replacing traditional visas with digital ETAs and e-visas, “driven by advances in border security, traveller screening, and digital immigration management”, says Arton. This may end the paper visa but also means travellers who previously enjoyed visa-free access will increasingly need electronic authorisation. The EU is expected to introduce its Etias system by the end of the year for visa-free visitors.
