Japan overtook Singapore and South Korea as its citizens get visa-free access to 193 destinations around the world. Citizens of the two following countries are exempted from visas in 192 destinations.
However, due to Asia’s cautious response to the outbreak, its citizens are less likely to exercise freedom of movement than European or American tourists.
According to the latest statistics of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the demand of international passengers for air travel in the Asia-Pacific region is still less than one-fifth of the level before Covid-19.
For comparison, CNN points to the Henley Passport Index report showing that European and North American markets have recovered back to about 60% of where they were previously moved.
Japanese passport ranked first, citizens do not have to apply for a visa when visiting 193 countries. Photo: Scribd.
Below the top three Asian countries, many European countries sit high in the rankings. German and Spanish passports can go to 190 visa-free destinations, followed by Finland, Italy, Luxembourg with 189 destinations.
Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden are in 5th place. France, Ireland, Portugal and the UK are in 6th place.
New Zealand and the United States are in seventh place, along with Belgium, Norway and Switzerland.
The report also says Indian passport holders enjoy similar freedom of movement before the pandemic, with freedom to visit 57 destinations around the world (compared to 23 in 2020).
Citizens of Afghanistan are once again at the bottom of the rankings. The passport of this country can access 27 countries without a visa.
10 world power passports:
1. Japan (193 destinations)
2. Singapore, South Korea (192 destinations)
3. Germany, Spain (190 destinations)
4. Finland, Italy, Luxembourg (189 destinations)
5. Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden (188 destinations)
6. France, Ireland, Portugal, United Kingdom (187 destinations)
7. Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, USA (186 destinations)
8. Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Greece, Malta (185 destinations)
9. Hungary (183 destinations)
10. Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia (182 destinations)
The world’s least powerful passport:
105. North Korea (40 destinations)
106. Nepal, Palestinian territory (38 destinations)
107. Somalia (35 destinations)
108. Yemen (34 destinations)
109. Pakistan (32 destinations)
110. Syria (30 destinations)
111. Iraq (29 destinations)
112. Afghanistan (27 destinations)
@ Zing News
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