Singapore, Germany passports tie as world’s most powerful

Singapore’s passport takes top spot in a tie with Germany in a global ranking of the world’s passports.

Singaporeans can travel to 159 countries visa-free, up from 158 last year after Ukraine included Singapore to its visa-on-arrival programme.

According to the Global Passport Power Rank 2017 released yesterday, Ukraine’s revision placed Singapore in a tie with Germany.

In terms of individual ranking, however, Germany still edges out Singapore. German passport holders can travel without a visa to 125 countries and can get visa-on-arrival at 34 countries (adding up to total of 159). Singapore passport holders can travel to 122 countries without a visa, and visa-on-arrival at 37 countries.

The visa-free score is derived from the number of visa-free and visa-on-arrival travel destinations, with the former carrying a higher weightage.

Sweden followed in second place with a visa-free score of 158. Denmark, Finland, Italy, France, Spain, Norway, United Kingdom, South Korea and the US are in third place with a visa-free score of 157, which makes Singapore the most powerful passport to hold among Asian nations, followed by South Korea.

Malaysia and Japan are the other two countries that made the top 10, coming in at fourth place with a score of 156.

The Passport Index is developed by Arton Capital, a financial advisory firm specialising in investor programmes for residence and citizenship. — TODAY

Source: AFP