Even in 2022, the Japanese passport remains the strongest in the world. It allows Japanese citizens to travel easily and without a visa to 193 countries around the world.
Japan is followed in the ranking by some European countries including Singapore, South Korea and Germany. On the other hand, passports from countries in Africa and the Middle East tend to perform poorly.
Passport determines whether a visa is required for entry
Visas and other types of travel permits give countries the ability to screen foreigners before entering the country. Since detailed control of all passengers is very laborious, many countries have entered into agreements with each other to enable the free movement of people between countries.
The best example of this is the Schengen area. In the Schengen area, all persons holding a passport from a member country are allowed to enter another country in the Schengen area without any problems. Neither a visa nor a passport is required at the border.
Many other countries and territories have similar arrangements, such as the United States Visa Waiver Program or Canada’s ETA Program. “ETA Canada” is an electronic travel authorization available to travelers from several countries, including Germany and Japan.
An eTA can be used in place of a visa to enter Canada as long as you have a passport from the country affiliated with the program. ETA Canada can be easily obtained through an online form The application can be made and allows multiple trips to a North American country within five years.
Compared to “Visa Canada”, applying for an eTA is much easier and faster, making travel between Canada and all associated countries easier. With such agreements, the passport and the country in which it was issued is always the deciding factor as to who is eligible for visa-free entry.
“Henley Passport Index”
Passports of different countries vary greatly in terms of the number of countries that allow entry without a visa. That is why the company “Henley & Partners” has “Henley Passport Index” brought to life.
This annual ranking examines the passports of 199 different countries and their use to enter 227 countries. Each passport is checked to see how many other countries you can enter without applying for a visa.
For each country that allows entry without a visa, the passport receives a score. The passport also earns a point if the visa can still be purchased upon entry into the destination (“Visa on Arrival”) or if an electronic entry permit such as “ETA Canada” can be used.
winner and loser
The Japanese passport is the strongest passport in the world with a score of 193. This means that people holding Japanese passports can enter 193 out of 227 countries without a visa.
Germany is also not behind Japan with a score of 190. Other European and North American countries, such as the United States or Canada, are also relatively high in the ranking. The worst performers are passports from Africa and the Middle East. The Afghan passport is the ultimate, as it only allows visa-free entry into 27 different countries.
importance to travelers
Travelers with passports from a country high in the ranking can enter many countries around the world with relative ease. However, this does not mean that people from Japan or Germany can enter 193 or 190 countries without any travel preparation.
In some cases, a “visa on arrival” or a Electronic travel authorization such as “ETA Canada” be requested. Therefore, when traveling long distances, one should always find out about the entry requirements at the destination before making a solid travel plan.
