Czech Passport Among World’s Most Powerful

An annual index ranking a country’s travel mobility has placed the Czech Republic in its top ten

Elizabeth Zahradnicek-Haas

Written by Elizabeth Zahradnicek-Haas Published on 08.03.2016 17:18:55 (updated on 08.03.2016) Reading time: 1 minute

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The Visa Restrictions Index is an annual ranking that determines the strength of a country’s passports based on how freely its citizens can roam the globe.

This year’s rankings have been announced, offering one big surpise: the United States, long considered the world’s most powerful passport, dropped to fourth (it ranked first in 2014 and second in 2015).

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The rankings are determined by how many countries and territories passport holders can travel in without a visa. German passport holders, for instance, can visit 177 out of 218 countries without visa restrictions making theirs the world’s most powerful. Sweden maintained its runner up status at 176.

The Czech Republic slipped two notches from eighth in 2015 to tenth, tying with Hungary and Iceland at 167 countries. According to the rankings, however, the country has made a giant leap in the past ten years, starting out in twenty-first place in 2006.

Iraq, Pakistan, and Afghanistan (102-104 respectively) and other countries in the midst of armed conflicts ranked lowest.

Here’s a look at the complete top 10; how does your country measure up?

Germany – 177
Sweden – 176
Finland, France, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom – 175
Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, USA – 174
Austria, Japan, Singapore – 173
Canada, Ireland, South Korea, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland – 172
Greece, New Zealand – 171
Australia – 169
Malta – 168
Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland – 167

The index has been compiled since 2006 by London consulting firm Henley and Partners and the International Air Carriers Association. The most recent findings suggest that visa-free access is improving around the world.

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