The Most Powerful Passport in the World
Despite recent tensions over immigration and federal elections, Germany, in recent months, has banked some good press: The country had not one—but three—cities appear on the "10 Best Cities for Expats" list, two of the top ten best airports in the world, and some of the world's most exciting Gehry-designed buildings. Tourism is on the uptick. Now, new results from Henley & Partners, a London-based consulting firm specializing in citizenship services, reinforce the European nation's status by deeming a German passport the most powerful in the world.
The annual index, created with the International Air Transport Association (which has the world’s largest database of travel information), judges the top passports in the world by how much visa-free travel they allow. Germany, which has held the top spot for five years in a row, has visa-free access to 177 countries out of a total of 218. Singapore, in second, has a ranking of 176, and a larger group of countries sharing third place (Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Norway, Sweden, the U.K.) allow visa-free access to 175 countries. The U.S., along with Ireland, Portugal, and South Korea, tied for fifth place on the list, with visa-free access to 173 countries.
Generally, visa requirements are indicative of a country’s relationship with another—reciprocity, as illustrated by the contentious battle over U.S. travelers’ visa-free access to Europe, is often expected.
The passport to watch? Georgia, which climbed 15 places in 2018’s rankings. On the lower end of the spectrum were Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, which each have visa-free access to fewer than 30 countries. Here, a look at the top 26.
1. Germany, 177 countries can be visited without a visa
2. Singapore, 176
=3. Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Norway, Sweden, the U.K., 175
=4. Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, 174
=5. Ireland, Portugal, South Korea, United States, 173
6. Canada, 172
=7. Australia, Greece, New Zealand, 171
=8. Czech Republic, Iceland, 170
In a statement, Dr. Christian H. Kälin, Group Chairman of Henley & Partners, said the need for visa-free access is greater than ever. “Across the economic spectrum, individuals want to transcend the constraints imposed on them by their country of origin and access business, financial, career, and lifestyle opportunities on a global scale."
This article was originally published in 2016. It has been updated with the latest results.
