In theory, all passports should be created equal. Everyone should have the same access to the rest of the world as everyone else regardless of geopolitics. Unfortunately, that’s not the reality.
Whether it’s complicated political relationships, ethnically motivated prejudice, perceived security threats, or a lack of open-border reciprocity, many citizens find themselves walking past the proverbial lunch table hearing that dreaded phrase: “You can’t sit with us.”
While not the strongest passport in the world, the US has access to 91 countries visa-free, meaning US citizens can pretty much travel anywhere they want without facing restrictions or special visa considerations. Many countries, particularly those in the Middle East and Africa, aren’t so lucky. Their citizens can’t simply hop on a flight to the US or Europe for an impromptu vacation. Instead many must diligently plan every detail of their trip in advance, wade through the murky waters of bureaucracy to obtain a visa (or be denied one), and remain within very tightly defined parameters during their trip. With the help of research from the Global Passport Index, we’ve taken a look at some of the weakest passports that afford the least amount of freedom for travelers.
How researchers identified the world’s weakest passports
The Global Passport Index (GPI) took various metrics into account to determine its rankings. Each piece of criteria measures a different aspect of a passport’s overall utility, resulting in the ultimate list compiled by the GPI.
Global Mobility Score: This is the total number of countries that can be easily accessed with a passport. It’s determined based on total countries that can be accessed visa-free, visa-on-arrival, eTA, and eVisas obtainable within three days.
Visa-Free: This metric is one of the most important for determining a passport’s strength. It refers to how many countries a given passport allows you to enter without needing a travel visa.
Visa on arrival: This refers to countries whose citizens don’t need to apply for a travel visa ahead of time for certain destinations, but can obtain one upon entry.
eTA: Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is an entry requirement for foreign nationals who are visa-exempt. It requires a simple online application.
Visa Required: This measures how many countries require a visa from a given passport holder. Every country’s visa criteria is different, but usually the process involves an extensive application completed in advance of travel, which may be approved or denied.
Passport Power Rank: This ranking is based on the Mobility Score and the United Nations Development Program’s Human Development Index. The higher the Mobility Score, the better the Power Rank is likely to be.
World Reach: This means quite simply, how much of the world can be accessed with a given passport. More powerful passports can access a higher percentage of the world, while weaker passports can access a much smaller fraction of it.
1. Afghanistan
Photo: FotograFFF/Shutterstock
Mobility Score: 30
Visa-Free: 3
Visa on arrival: 26
eTA: 1
Visa Required: 168
Passport Power Rank: 81
World Reach: 15%
2. Iraq
Photo: Mohammed Ihsan/Shutterstock
Mobility Score: 31
Visa-Free: 2
Visa on arrival: 27
eTA: 2
Visa Required: 167
Passport Power Rank: 80
World Reach: 16%
3. Syria
Photo: Amir Sabbagh/Shutterstock
Mobility Score: 32
Visa-Free: 4
Visa on arrival: 27
eTA: 1
Visa Required: 166
Passport Power Rank: 79
World Reach: 16%
4. Somalia
Photo: Passport Index
Mobility Score: 34
Visa-Free: 6
Visa on arrival: 26
eTA: 2
Visa Required: 164
Passport Power Rank: 78
World Reach: 17%
5. Pakistan
Photo: PIC2FRAMES/Shutterstock
Mobility Score: 35
Visa-Free: 6
Visa on arrival: 28
eTA: 1
Visa Required: 163
Passport Power Rank: 77
World Reach: 18%
6. Yemen
Photo: Anis Al-bareq/Shutterstock
Mobility Score: 35
Visa-Free: 6
Visa on arrival: 27
eTA: 2
Visa Required: 163
Passport Power Rank: 77
World Reach: 18%
7. Iran
Photo: nejdeh_ivan_photography/Shutterstock
Mobility Score: 37
Visa-Free: 4
Visa on arrival: 31
eTA: 2
Visa Required: 161
Passport Power Rank: 76
World Reach: 19%
8. Palestinian Territories
Photo: Passport Index
Mobility Score: 38
Visa-Free: 7
Visa on arrival: 29
eTA: 2
Visa Required: 160
Passport Power Rank: 75
World Reach: 19%
9. Myanmar
Photo: Images By Kenny/Shutterstock
Mobility Score: 39
Visa-Free: 4
Visa on arrival: 33
eTA: 2
Visa Required: 159
Passport Power Rank: 74
World Reach: 20%
10. Eritrea
Photo: Alii Sher/Shutterstock
Mobility Score: 39
Visa-Free: 6
Visa on arrival: 31
eTA: 2
Visa Required: 159
Passport Power Rank: 74
World Reach: 20%
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