Global advisory firm Arton Capital has released its 2017 study of the world’s best passports, and in a move that surprised the world, Singapore is ranked first. The citizenship and planning firm came up with its rankings by taking into account how many countries can be visited with a particular passport, without the need to apply for a visa. Singaporean passports are able to visit a whopping 159 countries in the world without having to apply for a visa.
The annual study saw German passports drop to second place, while passports from the United States dropped to sixth place since President Donald Trump took office.
Other Asian countries that made it to the Top 10 include South Korea at third place, Japan in fourth, and Malaysia in sixth.
On the other end of the spectrum, the world’s least powerful passport belongs to Afghanistan, whose citizens can only visit 22 countries without a visa.
10 most powerful passports (with scores indicated)
- Singapore, 159
- Germany, 158
- Sweden, South Korea, 157
- Denmark, France, Finland, Italy, Japan, Norway, Spain, United Kingdom, 156
- Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, Switzerland, The Netherlands, 155
- Canada, Ireland, Malaysia, United States, 154
- Australia, Greece, New Zealand, 153
- Czechia, Iceland, Malta, 152
- Hungary, 150
- Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, 149
10 least powerful passports (with scores indicated)
- Afghanistan, 22
- Iraq, Pakistan, 26
- Syria, 29
- Somalia, 34
- Bangladesh, Yemen, 35
- Iran, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Sudan, 36
- Lebanon, 37
- Libya, North Korea, 38
- Eritrea, Ethiopia, Palestinian Territories, 39
- South Sudan, 40
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