In the first quarter of 2023, the newly released global passport rankings show drastic changes at the top of the world’s strongest passports list. Singapore is at the top of the index as of today, and Australia is in equal seventh place with Czechia, Hungary, Malta and Poland. This comes after a dramatic fall from grace for long-time champions, such as the United Kingdom and the United States. Both countries have experienced a significant drop in their rankings.
In 2015, the UK was number one in the world for passport strength but is now ranked sixth. Indeed, the US ranked 1st back in 2014. Now, it has fallen to 10th place and is in danger of dropping out of the top 10 entirely for the first time in almost 20 years. These declines are indicative of a larger pattern, with both countries on a downward spiral in their passport power rankings.
Australia’s passport is as powerful as ever, letting Australians into more countries visa free than ever before. Recent data shows that Australia, too, has fallen behind a bit in the rankings. The country now stands in line with its European peers, pointing to a more competitive global landscape.
New Zealand and Switzerland are in fifth place this year. At the same time, a couple of other countries are close to overtaking for third and fourth places. These rankings illustrate a growing passport strength divide across the world, with some countries making major leaps forward while others collapse backwards.
According to Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, global passport ranking expert, the real story is the continuing trend of making travel more accessible to millions. He stated, “The average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024, but this improvement has not been experienced equally.”
Countries are using the race for smarter, better mobility to compete and win on the global stage. Australia’s powerful passport suggests that down under, all is well in the international arena. And Australians have not lost access to any popular destination. Although they still experience burdens, they can move around without the burdensome headache of needing to get visas ahead of time.
