Asia, the topper of the year large passport-index.
Japan, Singapore and south Korea takes the trophy as the countries, where the inhabitants can travel to most nations outside the to apply for a visa first. The three countries are located on a shared first place at the recent Henley Passport Index with a self-service buffet consisting of 189 countries, which residents can freely travel to.
Japan had previously first place alone, but according to advisory firm Henley & Partners is Asia in general has become a major player in the world. Therefore, the shared first place a ’resounding demonstration of Asia’s growing power and influence on the world stage.’
It writes The Independent.
– something That is very important is the (index, red.) also a lens for the type of world we live in and the different policies states pursue. With some notable exceptions, there is a growing realization that the policies of engagement, cooperation and openness offers the greatest results, both for individual nations and for the global community as a whole, says Dr. Christian H. Kälin, chairman of Henley & Partners.
Germany has climbed up on a close second, with access to 188 countries, after they have been given free access to Uzbekistan. Denmark lands on the third place along with four others, whose population can travel visa-free to 187 countries. Denmark share the space with France, Sweden, Finland and Italy.
Our nordic neighbours, Norway and Iceland coming in at a respectively 5. and 9. space.
In spite of Brexit-the tumult can the Uk just yet stick with a 5. space with free access to 185 countries. 29. march at 23.00 (local time), the Uk will, however, be assigned a different status in the european UNION and its citizens will have to apply for a visa to the Schengen area on an equal footing with the citizens of the UNITED states, Japan and Australia.
At the other end you will find countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan, where the pass only provides access to 30 countries, Syria and Somalia, with visa-free access to 32 countries and Pakistan, Yemen, and Eritrea and Sudan, with visa-free access to, respectively, 33, 36, and 38 countries.
this Year’s high flier is the UAE, which has gone from a 61. space for a 21. space of 10 years. Albania in the same period moved from being the number 116 to the number 144, while China’s has risen 12 places to number 67.
The strongest passport
Japan, Singapore, SydkoreaTysklandDanmark, Finland, France, Italy, SverigeLuxemborg, SpanienØstrig, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland, StorbritannienBelgien, Canada, Greece, Ireland, USATjekkietMaltaAustralienUngarn, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia
Source: the Henley Passport Index