The Passport Index ranks the world’s passports by the number of countries that are easily accessible by the passport holder. Which passport is the most powerful when it comes to traveling around the world? Singapore. The country earned the number-one spot after Paraguay removed visa requirements for Singaporeans, reports CNN.
People who possess a Singapore passport can easily visit 159 countries either without a visa or by obtaining one upon arrival. Singapore previously shared the number-one spot with Germany (whose passport holders can easily travel to158 countries). After Paraguay’s decision, Singapore took the top ranking. It is the first time an Asian country has achieved this distinction. Historically, mostly European countries had the top 10 most powerful passports.
Philippe May, managing director of Arton Capital’s Singapore office, told CNN:
“Singapore has constantly increased its passport strength since it became independent in 1965. This due to a smart and far-sighted foreign policy, excellent diplomacy and by understanding globalization as an opportunity. Unlike Schengen member countries [in Europe], Singapore decides alone who to grant visa-free access.
“Singapore is not locked into a common travel zone (eg. with other ASEAN countries), and never had to impose visa restrictions on foreign nationals only because other ASEAN member countries have restrictions.”
Canada sits at number six out of 10 in the ranking, along with the United States, Malaysia, and Ireland. These countries have easy access to 154 countries.
Arton Capital developed the Passport Index. Armand Arton, the company’s founder, and president explained during a recent Global Citizen Forum in Montenegro that many travelers today seek visa-free global mobility. He noted: “More and more people every year invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in a second passport to offer better opportunity and security for their families.”
The Passport Index’s top 10
- Singapore—159
- Germany—158
- Sweden, South Korea—157
- Denmark, Finland, Italy, France, Spain, Norway, Japan, United Kingdom—156
- Luxembourg, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Portugal—155
- Malaysia, Ireland, Canada, United States—154
- Australia, Greece, New Zealand—153
- Malta, Czech Republic, Iceland—152
- Hungary—150
- Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia—149
