Top 10 Powerful Passports of 2019
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VOICE OVER: Phoebe de Jeu
WRITTEN BY: Michael Wynands
For this list, we're looking at passports from around the world that enable you to travel the globe with the least limitations. To put this list together, we looked at the two big authorities on passports. First, the Henley Passport Index, which assigns 1 point to a passport for every country that can be entered without the need for a visa, or which offers a visa on arrival or similar arrangement. Second, the Passport Index, which takes into account the number of visa-free and visa-on-arrival countries accessible with each passport. Please note, this list is based on early 2019 rankings and the power of passports changes regularly.
Top 10 Most Powerful Passports in the World in 2019
This little booklet is your ticket to see the world . . . but they’re not all created equal! Welcome to MojoTravels, and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 10 Most Powerful Passports in the World in 2019.
For this list, we’re looking at passports from around the world that enable you to travel the globe with the least limitations. To put this list together, we looked at the two big authorities on passports. First, the Henley Passport Index, which assigns 1 point to a passport for every country that can be entered without the need for a visa, or which offers a visa on arrival or similar arrangement. Second, the Passport Index, which takes into account the number of visa-free and visa-on-arrival countries accessible with each passport. Please note, this list is based on early 2019 rankings and the power of passports changes regularly.
#10: Spain
With 186 visa-free destinations according to Henley Passport Index, Spain makes it into our top 10 this year. The Passport Index, which uses a slightly more detail-oriented system, gives it as score of 167, with 125 visa-free countries, 42 visa-on-arrival and 31 destinations that require a visa. One of its most notable powers -relative to many of its European passport peers- is that it gets you access to a visa-on-arrival good for up to 30 days in Mongolia. Other countries like Sweden and Italy require a full, traditional visa before arrival. Some easily accessible and popular (or up and coming) destinations that Spanish passport holders might consider in 2019 include Croatia, the Bahamas, Belize and Georgia.
#9: Sweden
The difference separating Sweden from a Spain? There are actually a few. With a Swedish passport, you can visit Gambia for up to 90 days without a visa, whereas those with a Spanish passport will need to acquire a passport on arrival. A minor inconvenience, but hey, when you’re traveling, every minute counts! Similarly, a Swedish passport holder can visit Turkey without getting an eVisa. The Henley Passport Index gives it a score of 187, edging out Spain by a single point. Providing greater insight, PassportIndex.org lists Sweden as having 127 visa-free countries and 39 visa-on-arrival, leaving 32 destinations which require visas. From Samoa and San Marino to Slovenia and the Solomon Islands, the Swedish passport has got you covered.
#8: Italy
The Henley Passport Index gives Italy a score of 187, while PassportIndex.org scores it at 166. Translation? Life is good for Italian passport holders. For starters, they already live in one of the most beautiful and historically-rich cities in the world. But when they get tired of all that great food, world-class wine and breathtaking scenery, they can easily take a trip thanks to the power of their passport. Most of Europe is open to Italian passport holders, no visa required. Russia is basically the only exception but, then again, the list of passports that get you into Russia without a visa is rather short one. According to PassportIndex, Italian passport holders have it even better than last year, with 6 visa-related changes in their favor.
#7: Denmark
With a Danish passport, according to PassportIndex.org, you can enter 127 countries without a visa, and another 39 with visa on arrival, leaving another 32 that require a visa, for a total score of 166. As for the Henley Passport Index, it scores 187. With so much power what might a Danish holiday look like? Well… there’s really no shortage of options. Much of Asia is accessible either visa-free or with a simple visa-on-arrival. Like Italy, all of Europe is visa-free, with the exception of Russia. It even offers pretty good coverage of Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean. 2019 is a good year to hold a Danish Passport. Then again, when has it not been? A Danish passport has consistently ranked highly.
#6: Finland
Moving northeast, and passing through Sweden to the next country on our list, Finland hedges out Denmark by a single point according to PassportIndex.org. The difference? Pakistan. Holders of a Finnish passport can visit the Middle Eastern nation with a visa on arrival, whereas travelers from Denmark will need to file for an eVisa prior to departure. Of course, that’s just one country from a long list of destinations that owners of a passport from Finland can visit with relative ease. The Henley Passport Index gives the country a score of 187, which is sure to make any passport holder smile. Want to go to Macau? No problem. How about Mauritius, Mexico or Micronesia? With a Finnish passport, it’s no visa required!
#5: Japan
Japan has taken a notable drop on our list since last year. It’s not that the Japanese passport has gotten weaker since 2018. In fact, to the contrary, PassportIndex.org suggest that it’s gained an additional 6 points in the last 12 months. The reason it dropped from second place to 5th overall is because other nations have notably jumped ahead. The Henley Passport Index still has Japan tied for first place. Where it loses points, however, is in the breakdown of how the countries can be visited. According to PassportIndex.org, Japan is tied for fourth, with a score of 165. With a Japanese passport, you can visit 122 countries without a visa, and 43 with visa-on-arrival. All that being said, it still remains an incredibly powerful passport.
#4: Germany
Speaking of passports that consistently rank highly, the German passport once again cracks the top 5, though, like Japan, it’s been bumped down just a bit - relatively speaking. It’s added an extra five points in terms of “net visa-free changes” since last year. According to PassportIndex.org, that makes for a total score 167: 127 visa-free destinations and 40 with visa- on-arrival. In terms of how it beats out Japan, the German passport gives its owner visa free access to Brazil and Gambia, as well as easier entry to Burkina Faso with visa-on-arrival, among a few other travel perks. Quite simply, the German passport is your ticket to freely travel the vast majority of the globe with minimal hassle.
#3: South Korea
North Korea has one of the weakest passports in the world, with Visa-free access to only 11 countries - and that’s if you can get permission to leave the country. Just south of the border however, citizens of neighboring South Korea wield one of the most powerful passports in the entire world. Henley Passport Index has it tied for first place with a score of 189. PassportIndex.org, for its part, awards it a score of 166, with 122 visa-free destinations and and another 44 with visa on arrival. Though that is a significant number of visas-on-arrival, the power of the South Korean passport is nonetheless formidable, and as the country continues to become increasingly influential, it’s only likely to get more powerful.
#2: Singapore
This island nation is truly one of a kind. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who led the country from 1959 to 1990, the country experienced what has been described as an “economic miracle” to become the modern business juggernaut that it is today. Singapore is both affluent and influential and it boasts a passport to match. It edges out South Korea with visa-free entry to countries including Burkina Faso, Cambodia and, most notably, China. Furthermore, owners of a Singaporean passport can visit desirable destinations like Cuba without getting a visa on arrival. Tied for first on the Henley passport Index, the Singapore passport is a seriously powerful little booklet.
#1: United Arab Emirates
In early 2018, it didn’t even crack the top 10. But before the end of the calendar year, the passport of the United Arab Emirates had made a meteoric rise. Since 2018, according to Passport Index, United Arab Emirates has gained 36 favorable passport changes, more than double any other country in the world. According to the Passport Index, it is, as of 2019, the single most powerful passport in the world with a score of 169. With 115 visa-free countries in its tally, it might not perform as well as some of our previous entries in that regard. But with 54 visa-on-arrival countries, it can ultimately take you to more destinations than any other passport in the world. Most notably it offers greater access to specific African countries than most European and Asian passports. But really, from South America to Australia and everything in between, it’s more often got you covered than not.
This little booklet is your ticket to see the world . . . but they’re not all created equal! Welcome to MojoTravels, and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 10 Most Powerful Passports in the World in 2019.
For this list, we’re looking at passports from around the world that enable you to travel the globe with the least limitations. To put this list together, we looked at the two big authorities on passports. First, the Henley Passport Index, which assigns 1 point to a passport for every country that can be entered without the need for a visa, or which offers a visa on arrival or similar arrangement. Second, the Passport Index, which takes into account the number of visa-free and visa-on-arrival countries accessible with each passport. Please note, this list is based on early 2019 rankings and the power of passports changes regularly.
#10: Spain
With 186 visa-free destinations according to Henley Passport Index, Spain makes it into our top 10 this year. The Passport Index, which uses a slightly more detail-oriented system, gives it as score of 167, with 125 visa-free countries, 42 visa-on-arrival and 31 destinations that require a visa. One of its most notable powers -relative to many of its European passport peers- is that it gets you access to a visa-on-arrival good for up to 30 days in Mongolia. Other countries like Sweden and Italy require a full, traditional visa before arrival. Some easily accessible and popular (or up and coming) destinations that Spanish passport holders might consider in 2019 include Croatia, the Bahamas, Belize and Georgia.
#9: Sweden
The difference separating Sweden from a Spain? There are actually a few. With a Swedish passport, you can visit Gambia for up to 90 days without a visa, whereas those with a Spanish passport will need to acquire a passport on arrival. A minor inconvenience, but hey, when you’re traveling, every minute counts! Similarly, a Swedish passport holder can visit Turkey without getting an eVisa. The Henley Passport Index gives it a score of 187, edging out Spain by a single point. Providing greater insight, PassportIndex.org lists Sweden as having 127 visa-free countries and 39 visa-on-arrival, leaving 32 destinations which require visas. From Samoa and San Marino to Slovenia and the Solomon Islands, the Swedish passport has got you covered.
#8: Italy
The Henley Passport Index gives Italy a score of 187, while PassportIndex.org scores it at 166. Translation? Life is good for Italian passport holders. For starters, they already live in one of the most beautiful and historically-rich cities in the world. But when they get tired of all that great food, world-class wine and breathtaking scenery, they can easily take a trip thanks to the power of their passport. Most of Europe is open to Italian passport holders, no visa required. Russia is basically the only exception but, then again, the list of passports that get you into Russia without a visa is rather short one. According to PassportIndex, Italian passport holders have it even better than last year, with 6 visa-related changes in their favor.
#7: Denmark
With a Danish passport, according to PassportIndex.org, you can enter 127 countries without a visa, and another 39 with visa on arrival, leaving another 32 that require a visa, for a total score of 166. As for the Henley Passport Index, it scores 187. With so much power what might a Danish holiday look like? Well… there’s really no shortage of options. Much of Asia is accessible either visa-free or with a simple visa-on-arrival. Like Italy, all of Europe is visa-free, with the exception of Russia. It even offers pretty good coverage of Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean. 2019 is a good year to hold a Danish Passport. Then again, when has it not been? A Danish passport has consistently ranked highly.
#6: Finland
Moving northeast, and passing through Sweden to the next country on our list, Finland hedges out Denmark by a single point according to PassportIndex.org. The difference? Pakistan. Holders of a Finnish passport can visit the Middle Eastern nation with a visa on arrival, whereas travelers from Denmark will need to file for an eVisa prior to departure. Of course, that’s just one country from a long list of destinations that owners of a passport from Finland can visit with relative ease. The Henley Passport Index gives the country a score of 187, which is sure to make any passport holder smile. Want to go to Macau? No problem. How about Mauritius, Mexico or Micronesia? With a Finnish passport, it’s no visa required!
#5: Japan
Japan has taken a notable drop on our list since last year. It’s not that the Japanese passport has gotten weaker since 2018. In fact, to the contrary, PassportIndex.org suggest that it’s gained an additional 6 points in the last 12 months. The reason it dropped from second place to 5th overall is because other nations have notably jumped ahead. The Henley Passport Index still has Japan tied for first place. Where it loses points, however, is in the breakdown of how the countries can be visited. According to PassportIndex.org, Japan is tied for fourth, with a score of 165. With a Japanese passport, you can visit 122 countries without a visa, and 43 with visa-on-arrival. All that being said, it still remains an incredibly powerful passport.
#4: Germany
Speaking of passports that consistently rank highly, the German passport once again cracks the top 5, though, like Japan, it’s been bumped down just a bit - relatively speaking. It’s added an extra five points in terms of “net visa-free changes” since last year. According to PassportIndex.org, that makes for a total score 167: 127 visa-free destinations and 40 with visa- on-arrival. In terms of how it beats out Japan, the German passport gives its owner visa free access to Brazil and Gambia, as well as easier entry to Burkina Faso with visa-on-arrival, among a few other travel perks. Quite simply, the German passport is your ticket to freely travel the vast majority of the globe with minimal hassle.
#3: South Korea
North Korea has one of the weakest passports in the world, with Visa-free access to only 11 countries - and that’s if you can get permission to leave the country. Just south of the border however, citizens of neighboring South Korea wield one of the most powerful passports in the entire world. Henley Passport Index has it tied for first place with a score of 189. PassportIndex.org, for its part, awards it a score of 166, with 122 visa-free destinations and and another 44 with visa on arrival. Though that is a significant number of visas-on-arrival, the power of the South Korean passport is nonetheless formidable, and as the country continues to become increasingly influential, it’s only likely to get more powerful.
#2: Singapore
This island nation is truly one of a kind. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who led the country from 1959 to 1990, the country experienced what has been described as an “economic miracle” to become the modern business juggernaut that it is today. Singapore is both affluent and influential and it boasts a passport to match. It edges out South Korea with visa-free entry to countries including Burkina Faso, Cambodia and, most notably, China. Furthermore, owners of a Singaporean passport can visit desirable destinations like Cuba without getting a visa on arrival. Tied for first on the Henley passport Index, the Singapore passport is a seriously powerful little booklet.
#1: United Arab Emirates
In early 2018, it didn’t even crack the top 10. But before the end of the calendar year, the passport of the United Arab Emirates had made a meteoric rise. Since 2018, according to Passport Index, United Arab Emirates has gained 36 favorable passport changes, more than double any other country in the world. According to the Passport Index, it is, as of 2019, the single most powerful passport in the world with a score of 169. With 115 visa-free countries in its tally, it might not perform as well as some of our previous entries in that regard. But with 54 visa-on-arrival countries, it can ultimately take you to more destinations than any other passport in the world. Most notably it offers greater access to specific African countries than most European and Asian passports. But really, from South America to Australia and everything in between, it’s more often got you covered than not.
