According to the Passport Index by Arton Capital, this makes the United Arab Emirates passport the strongest in the world, as it allows holders to access the highest number of destinations in the world in the order of their ranking. After taking into account all passports, the United Arab Emirates passport currently holds the title of the most powerful passport in the world, with visa-upon-arrival or visa-free access to 180 destinations.
Currently, Arton Capital’s Passport Index provides real-time updates on the impact of present travel restrictions on international movement. Unlike the Henley Passport Index, which places Singapore at the top of its 2023 rankings, Arton Capital’s Passport Index constantly modifies its rankings with the inclusion of new visa exemptions and policy alterations.
Expo 2020 Dubai enabled less affluent countries to secure visa-free agreements by providing financial support to their pavilions. As a result, the UAE experienced a remarkable resurgence in 2022, following a decline in its position in the rankings over the past few years.
Currently, eleven countries, namely Germany, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, and South Korea, are jointly in second place, trailing behind visa-free access to 175 destinations. In a tie for third place, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Portugal, Poland, United Kingdom, Ireland, and New Zealand each have access to 174 destinations. The United States ranks fourth on this list with access to 173 destinations.
Since 2022, Russia has dropped two positions on the ranking, emerging at 37th place with the ability to travel to 126 destinations without a visa, as a result of existing travel limitations. Conversely, Ukraine has climbed one rank, reaching 19th place and expanding its visa-free access to 148 destinations compared to 144 in 2022.
Afghanistan, positioned at the 95th spot, currently has availability to merely 39 locations, while Syria and Iraq are slightly ahead with 40 and 41 destinations, correspondingly.
Considering the impact of COVID-19 and various travel limitations, here is the ranking of the world’s most influential passports in 2023:
In 2020, the top ranking was shared by Belgium, Finland, Austria, Luxembourg, Spain, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. Only 112 destinations granted visa-free entry to the most influential passports globally. These rankings demonstrate the notable increase in global mobility that has occurred since the onset of the pandemic.
The United States is ranked eighth on the list, granting access to 184 destinations according to the Henley Passport Index’s most recent rankings on July 18, 2023. It is important to note that these numbers do not take into account COVID-19 border closures or other travel restrictions. However, when these temporary limitations are disregarded, the travel freedom for holders of these influential passports varies significantly.
2023 strongest passports in the world, according to the Henley Passport Index
For the year 2023, the most powerful passports globally are those unaffected by COVID-19 travel limitations and visa modifications resulting from the conflict in Ukraine.
The methodology
The Index Passport by Arton takes into account the passports of all 193 member countries of the United Nations, excluding annexed territories like the British Virgin Islands and French Polynesia. However, it also includes territories like the Vatican, Palestinian Territory, Kosovo, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan ROC, along with six other countries. These countries are included in the possible travel destinations list.
In the course of 2023, the ongoing Russian incursion into Ukraine and the travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic are constantly developing, hence it is important to bear in mind that Arton’s rankings are highly susceptible to change. Even if these regions do not issue their own travel documents, the Henley Passport Index evaluates the same set of 199 passports while also verifying each of these passports against all 227 potential travel locations worldwide. For a comprehensive list of rankings, please visit henleypassportindex.Com and passportindex.Org.
This article initially appeared in 2020; it was last updated on July 19, 2023, to incorporate up-to-date information.