How powerful is the Aussie passport? Russia falls to 49th place in passport ranking, while Ukraine reaches a record high
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Ever wondered how powerful an Australian passport is in comparison to other countries? And how are the rankings even determined?
Passport ranking is produced by The Henley Passport Index – the original, authoritative ranking of passports internationally based on the number of countries their holders can access without a prior visa.
The index determines rankings by accumulating exclusive data from the IATA (International Air Transport Association), a global regulatory agency that possesses the most accurate travel information to date.
Image Credit: World Atlas
The latest global ranking reveals that for three consecutive years, Japan and Singapore have had the most powerful passports in the world, meaning citizens from the two nations can freely travel to 192 out of 227 countries without having to go through the hassle of securing a visa.
Germany and South Korea both remain in second place, with passport holders able to travel to 190 countries, and the third place is shared between Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain.
Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the list, with its citizens only being given access to 26 countries visa-free.
The ranking also reveals that Ukraine has a visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of 143, a 'record high' for the country, and now sits at 34th place, ranking up a spot since January.
Russia, however, drops down to 49th place, with a score of 117 from 46th – the rank which the country held earlier this year.
Top 10 countries in the Henley Passport Index (2022)
According to The Henley Passport Index, the new passport ranking shows that Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has led to millions of Ukrainians fleeing to neighbouring countries, has had a 'profound and perhaps irreversible impact on freedom of movement within the region as a new Iron Curtain descends'.
To show disapproval of Russia’s actions, the EU and the US closed their air spaces to Russian aircraft. To add to that, travel bans were enforced on individual Russian citizens.
Based on a statement following the 2022 passport index results, the ban 'effectively condemns the Russian passport to junk status throughout much of the developed world'.
Russia’s already steep decline in the passport rankings is predicted to fall even further in the following months to come.
Chairman of Henley & Partners Image Credit: chriskalin.com
Dr Christian H Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners and inventor of the passport index concept touched on the issue saying: “As the value of the Russian passport rapidly declines and the world opens its doors to Ukrainians, it is abundantly clear that the passport you hold determines your fate and dramatically impacts the opportunities you have.”
“While it is impossible to predict what the world will look like in the shadow of a new Cold War, the latest index suggests that the divide between Russia and much of the Western world will only increase.”
Australia ranks 7th place, with holders being granted access to a total of 185 countries.
What are your thoughts on this story? Are you a dual citizen? Let us know in the comments!
Want to know more about passport rankings? Watch the video below:
Video Credit: Grace Media
Passport ranking is produced by The Henley Passport Index – the original, authoritative ranking of passports internationally based on the number of countries their holders can access without a prior visa.
The index determines rankings by accumulating exclusive data from the IATA (International Air Transport Association), a global regulatory agency that possesses the most accurate travel information to date.
Image Credit: World Atlas
The latest global ranking reveals that for three consecutive years, Japan and Singapore have had the most powerful passports in the world, meaning citizens from the two nations can freely travel to 192 out of 227 countries without having to go through the hassle of securing a visa.
Germany and South Korea both remain in second place, with passport holders able to travel to 190 countries, and the third place is shared between Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain.
Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the list, with its citizens only being given access to 26 countries visa-free.
The ranking also reveals that Ukraine has a visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of 143, a 'record high' for the country, and now sits at 34th place, ranking up a spot since January.
Russia, however, drops down to 49th place, with a score of 117 from 46th – the rank which the country held earlier this year.
Top 10 countries in the Henley Passport Index (2022)
According to The Henley Passport Index, the new passport ranking shows that Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has led to millions of Ukrainians fleeing to neighbouring countries, has had a 'profound and perhaps irreversible impact on freedom of movement within the region as a new Iron Curtain descends'.
To show disapproval of Russia’s actions, the EU and the US closed their air spaces to Russian aircraft. To add to that, travel bans were enforced on individual Russian citizens.
Based on a statement following the 2022 passport index results, the ban 'effectively condemns the Russian passport to junk status throughout much of the developed world'.
Russia’s already steep decline in the passport rankings is predicted to fall even further in the following months to come.
Chairman of Henley & Partners Image Credit: chriskalin.com
Dr Christian H Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners and inventor of the passport index concept touched on the issue saying: “As the value of the Russian passport rapidly declines and the world opens its doors to Ukrainians, it is abundantly clear that the passport you hold determines your fate and dramatically impacts the opportunities you have.”
“While it is impossible to predict what the world will look like in the shadow of a new Cold War, the latest index suggests that the divide between Russia and much of the Western world will only increase.”
Australia ranks 7th place, with holders being granted access to a total of 185 countries.
What are your thoughts on this story? Are you a dual citizen? Let us know in the comments!
Want to know more about passport rankings? Watch the video below:
Video Credit: Grace Media
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