Japan topped the ranking of the top passports in the world for 2023 for the fifth year in a row as it continues to grant visa-free access to 193 international locations. Second place went to Singapore and South Korea, next came Germany and Spain, then a number of other European countries.
Moreover, most of the countries offering citizenship by investment programs have maintained their ranks.
Countries offering citizenship by investment programs ranking
Malta ranked 8th with visa-free travel to 185 countries.
St. Kitts and Nevis ranked 26th with visa-free travel to 157 countries.
Antigua and Barbuda ranked 31st with visa-free travel to 151 countries.
St. Lucia ranked 33rd with visa-free travel to 147 countries.
Grenada ranked 34th with visa-free travel to 146 countries.
Dominica ranked 35th with visa-free travel to 145 countries.
Turkey ranked 52nd with visa-free travel to 110 countries.
Vanuatu ranked 56th with visa-free travel to 98 countries.
Gulf countries
The ranking of some Gulf countries has increased significantly in the list during the past ten years. For example, the UAE has risen 49 places over the past decade to rank 15 with 178 destinations.
On the other hand, the European Union is in the process of signing a 90-day free travel program with Kuwait and Qatar, which would support the passports of those countries in the coming years.
Here are the strongest and weakest passports:
Top 10 passports for 2023
- Japan: 193
- Singapore and South Korea, 192
- Germany and Spain: 190
- Finland, Italy and Luxembourg: 189
- Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden: 188
- France, Ireland, Portugal and Britain: 187 destinations
- Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the United States and the Czech Republic: 187
- Australia, Canada, Greece and Malta: 185
- Hungary and Poland: 184
- Lithuania and Slovakia: 183
Weakest passports
- North Korea: 40 destinations
- Nepal and Palestine: 38 destinations
- Somalia: 35 destinations
- Yemen: 34 destinations
- Pakistan: 32 destinations
- Syria: 30 destinations
- Iraq: 29 destinations
- Afghanistan: 27 destinations
Source: Henley & Partners