New Zealand and Australia have one of the most powerful passports in the world. If you hold a New Zealand or an Australian passport, you have one of the most influential documents in the world, according to the latest Henley Passport Index.
The World's Strongest Passports for Travel Freedom
In 2023, the most powerful passport in the world in terms of travel freedom is the Japanese passport, according to the HPI. A passport issued by Japan allows the holder to enter 193 different countries and territories without having to get a visa in advance.
If that wasn't already impressive enough, Passport Index has determined that Australians hold the fourth most powerful passport. Japan tops the list with access to 193 destinations, and Singapore and South Korea tied in second place with access to 192 destinations.
The Australian passport ranks 32nd in the world as of May 2023 according to VisaGuide Passport Index. This means that Australian citizens can travel visa-free to 140 countries in the world. However, to enter the remaining countries, Australian passport holders must apply for a visa beforehand.
According to the Henley Passport Index, the Australian passport is considered the 9th most powerful passport in terms of travel freedom. That means that at the present time, Australian nationals can travel to around 100 countries visa-free and more than 30 countries with a visa on arrival.
The UAE passport has topped the global ranks to become the most powerful passport in the world. Passports are ranked based on mobility score, which indicates how many countries the passport holder can travel to hassle-free. UAE passports hold a mobility score of 181, the highest globally.
For the fifth straight year, the Japanese passport is the most powerful among all passports in the world, as it allows visa-free access to as many as 193 countries, according to Henley Passport Index 2023.
The price of Australian passports could be attributed to security measures, according to David Beirman, adjunct fellow in Management and Tourism at the University of Technology Sydney. He pointed out that other countries, such as the US, UK and Canada, also have security features in their passports.
The Australian Passport Office has started rolling out its new R Series passport, which features images of native animals hidden throughout. But it's not for design purposes — they're actually a high-tech security feature. If you're applying for a new passport in 2023, here's what you need to know.
Why is there a new passport? To protect passport holders' identity and personal information to the highest possible standards, the R Series includes advanced security features to prevent counterfeiting and identity theft, and ultimately, keep Australians safe.
Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, and Yemen retained their positions as the world's least powerful passports since the Index's 2020 rankings.
How long does it take to get a passport? Whether you apply in Australia or overseas, you should allow a minimum of 6 weeks to get a new passport.
Owing to its political unrest and other issues, the passport of Palestine Territories is considered to be among the weakest passports in the world. Here is a list of countries you can visit visa-free/visa on arrival with a Palestine Territories passport.
The rankings for the world's most powerful passport have been revealed and Ireland's is officially ranked as the tied-sixth best passport to have. An Irish passport will entitle a traveller to access 187 different countries or territories without having to have a visa.
As a result, the Japan passport ranks 2 in the world. Separate from these Japan visa-free countries and visa-on-arrival countries, there are 39 additional destinations which Japan passport holders either need a physical visa to enter or an eVisa (i.e. visa required countries).
You are strongly advised to always carry a valid passport when travelling to any foreign destination.
Yes, if you can show us that: visa waiting times would cause significant travel delays if you only had one passport, or. a destination country won't accept a passport showing evidence of travel to a third country, or. you have another good reason to need an additional passport.
Do Australian Citizens Need a Visa for USA? Australians are among the 40 countries that fall under the Visa Waiver Program of the United States that permits them to travel to the US for tourism and business. Unlike many other countries, they do not need a visitor visa to enter the USA.
Are you a dual national and wondering whether you can leave or return to Australia on your foreign passport instead of your Australian one? In short, the Department of Home Affairs' advice is that Australian citizens, including dual nationals, should leave and enter Australia on their Australian passport.
The Australian passport continues to be one of the most powerful in the world. Australia scraped into the top 10 for the Henley Passport Index, which ranks the 'travel-friendliness' of a country's passport.
However in news that may surprise some citizens, New Zealand's passport is stronger than Australia's.
Real scans of actual passports are common on dark web marketplaces, while less spotted forgeries of passports can trade north of $1500. Stolen physical passports are much rarer, but are known to command prices well above $10,000, depending on nationality.