The Ukrainian Passport is among the world's fastest improving travel documents. Photo / Elena Mozhivilo, Unsplash
The Ukrainian Passport is among the world's fastest improving travel documents. Photo / Elena Mozhivilo, Unsplash
The ten fastest improving passports of the last decade have been revealed in a new study.
Not all travel documents are equal. The Japanese passport, the world’s most powerful, grants holders access to 193 countries, visa free. Whereas Afghan passports are only accepted by 27.
Passports are as good an illustration as any of the iniquity of countries and the opportunities afforded to their citizens. The lottery of birth can severely hamper a traveller’s horizons.
However, there are some passports which are fast catching up with even the most jet-set of countries.
A study by Global Residence Index has revealed a collection of the world’s most improved passports. Over the past 10 years they have offered more freedoms to their holders.
The United Arab Emirates is the most improved passport for business and leisure. Since 2003 UAE passport holders have added over 100 new countries granting visa free access.
Just as Dubai and Abu Dhabi have become hubs for international air travel, the world has been opening up to citizens of the UAE. They are also one of the rarest passports, with just over 1 million books issued. In a country with a population of around 9 million, expatriate residents account for 88 per cent of the Emirati states.
Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, is a major travel hub. Photo / AP
The Colombian passport is also fast climbing the passport rankings. The second most improved passport in the world, now allows travellers to book holidays and hotels in 133 countries without paperwork or visa interviews. This is an increase of double the number of destinations in 2013.
There has been a huge increase in appetite for travel both into and out of Columbia over the past decade. With around 12 million air passengers in 2009, the number took off to more than 37 million passengers pre-pandemic according to The World Bank.
With an increasingly well connected and global economy, Colombian passport reflects one of the great South American success stories.
Not all passport improvements are connected to such positive stories.
Ukraine holds the third most improved passport on the power rankings, increasing by 67 countries since 2013. While Ukraine has enjoyed greater connectivity and improved relations with other countries over the past decade, one of the biggest increases of visa-free travel agreements has come since the outbreak of war with Russia, last year.
Eight additional countries have opened their borders to Ukranians for unrestricted travel since the invasion.
However this only accelerated a trend that was already underway, particularly with respect to travel with European neighbours. In 2017 - the EU granted visa free access to the Schengen zone for Ukrainian visitors for up to 90 days.
This saw the passport leap 17 places in the Henley Passport Power Rankings table. It is currently the 34 most valuable passport in the world with 144 countries offering visa-free travel.
The Global Residence Index, which advises on ‘investment citizenship’ and second passports, has been watching the improvement of these passports with interest.
“Being able to travel for leisure and business is pivotal in the development and growth of nations and individuals,” said a spokesperson for the company.
The improvement of the Ukrainian passport was of great interest and, while the situation in the country was dire, they said it represented a general trend of borders opening to travellers, with fewer restrictions.
“Despite all of the tension and conflict that headlines the news, globalisation is bringing many positives to developing and established nations. The world has never been so connected, and the increase in most nations’ passport power over the last 10 years demonstrates this.”
