The Japanese passport is the most powerful

Fly and visit foreign locations without the need for a visa. It is the unit of measure with which theHenley Passport index ranking i most powerful passports in the world: in 2023, for the fifth consecutive year, that Japanese ranks first, granting access to 193 out of 227 destinations. Close behind, those of South Korea And Singaporeon a par with 192 countries: a podium that was almost all Asian, given that Germany and Spain get the bronze medal with 190 destinations accessible without Visa.

Economic disparities

This index was created by the immigration consultancy firm Henley & Partnerswho also pooled data from theInternational Air Transport Association with those of the World Bank related to national GDP to create theHenley Passport Power Score: a tool that allows you to evaluate and become aware of economic inequalities and wealth inequalities existing in the world, associating the share of global GDP of the countries to which the document gives access without a visa to the passports. For example, the owners of Nigerian passports they can visit without a visa only 46 destinations (20% of the world) and these countries represent 1.5% of global GDP.

The bottom rung of this list is occupied by Afghan passport, which allows visa-free access to only 27 countries with less than 1% of global gross domestic product. Also Iraq and Syria travel on these numbers: considering the enormous difference in terms of destinations and GDP with the first classified, it is clear the economic and social gap, of opportunities and growth that penalizes these countries. The states with the highest scores are characterized by more open economies, which encourage foreign direct investment and international trade: these “tend to grow faster, are more innovative and productive, and provide higher wages and more opportunities for their citizens “, has explained Christian Kaelinpresident of Henley & Partners.

War in Ukraine

For the moment the Russian invasion has not had a significant impact on the results obtained by Russia And Ukraine in the index: the first is in 49th position with a score of 118; the second is in 34th place with 144 countries that can be visited without a visa. However, as the site recalls World economic forum, sanctions and airspace closures have made it more difficult for Russian citizens to travel; while Ukrainians were granted the right to live and work in the EU for up to 3 years in response to the emergency caused by the war.

The top ten

Me too’Italy is among the first places in the standings: it is in fourth place, next to Finland and Luxembourg with 189 destinations. Followed by Austria, Denmark, Holland and Sweden (fifth place with 188 destinations), France, Ireland, Portugal and the United Kingdom (in sixth position, with 187 destinations). Here is the complete top ten:

1. Japan (193 destinations)
2. Singapore, South Korea (192 destinations)
3. Germany, Spain (190 destinations)
4. Finland, Italy, Luxembourg (189 destinations)
5. Austria, Denmark, Holland, Sweden (188 destinations)
6. France, Ireland, Portugal, United Kingdom (187 destinations)
7. Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United States, Czech Republic (186 destinations)
8. Australia, Canada, Greece and Malta (185 destinations)
9. Hungary, Poland (184 destinations)
10. Lithuania, Slovakia (183 destinations)