Most Improved Passports Over the Last Ten Years

Depending on your passport, travel can be as simple as booking flights, finding a hotel, and going. But for many people around the world, it is not that easy. A number of passport holders must obtain a travel or tourist visa prior to arrival, and these visas typically require approval from the destination country’s government, a process that can take weeks or months and often comes with a significant cost.

Having a passport with visa-free access to more countries allows citizens to travel with far greater ease. This carries real economic and social benefits, both for individuals and for their countries, and governments continue to look for ways to expand their global relationships and simplify travel and business for their citizens. Currently, Japan holds the world’s strongest passport, with visa-free access to 193 destinations.

Investment migration experts at Globalresidenceindex.com conducted research to determine which passports have improved the most over the last decade.

The Power Shift Behind the Numbers

What makes this decade of change so striking is not just the raw increase in visa-free access, but what it signals about how quickly a nation’s global standing can shift. A passport is often the clearest, most personal measure of a country’s diplomatic reach, and the nations climbing this list represent a wide range of circumstances, from oil rich economic hubs to small island nations rebuilding through investment and reform. Each additional visa-free destination reflects negotiations, trust building, and policy work that can take years to materialize into something as simple as walking through customs without a stamp.

United Arab Emirates

The UAE is a desert hub for business and travel, positioned between East and West and between advanced and developing economies. Over the last ten years, the UAE has become increasingly accessible, and in return, UAE passport holders now enjoy far greater mobility. In 2013 the UAE passport had visa-free access to only 72 countries. That number has grown to 178 in 2023.

2013 to 2023 visa-free countries change: +106

Colombia

Colombia is a South American nation with one of the largest and fastest growing economies in Latin America. In 2013, Colombia had visa-free access to just 63 countries. By 2023, that number had climbed to 133, giving Colombians significantly easier access to travel and business opportunities around the globe.

2013 to 2023 visa-free countries change: +70

Ukraine

Ukraine has remained at the forefront of international headlines in recent years due to its ongoing conflict with Russia. Even so, the country has seen increasing integration with the rest of the world through greater visa-free access. In 2013, Ukraine had access to only 77 countries visa-free. That figure now stands at 144.

2013 to 2023 visa-free countries change: +67

Moldova

Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe, with an economy that relies heavily on agriculture. In 2013, travel and business opportunities were limited, with only 59 countries accessible visa-free. Over the past decade, that number has grown to 120.

2013 to 2023 visa-free countries change: +61

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a southern Caribbean nation made up of a main island and a chain of smaller islands, known for its beautiful beaches and clear waters. Despite this natural beauty, the islands offer limited business opportunities, which makes its 151 visa-free destinations especially important to the freedom and economic growth of its citizens.

2013 to 2023 visa-free countries change: +59

Dominica

Dominica is one of the poorest Caribbean countries, and while it is rich in natural beauty, it offers limited economic and social opportunity. Over the past decade, Dominica has worked to strengthen its passport, growing from 87 visa-free countries to 144. The country also offers an Entrepreneur Visa scheme, which allows applicants to obtain citizenship through a minimum investment of $50,000, granting new citizens full access to the benefits of a Dominica passport.

2013 to 2023 visa-free countries change: +57

Grenada

Grenada shares many of the same economic, social, and political characteristics as its Caribbean neighbors, along with similar travel and business challenges. Since 2013, Grenada has expanded its visa-free access from 88 countries to 145.

2013 to 2023 visa-free countries change: +57

Peru

Peru shares a large border with Colombia, another country that has seen significant passport growth over the last decade. In 2013, Peru had visa-free access to 80 countries. By 2023, that number had grown to 136.

2013 to 2023 visa-free countries change: +56

Georgia

Situated at the intersection of Europe and Asia, Georgia is a developing country with a very high Human Development Index. The nation has seen major improvements, including a roughly 183.2 percent rise in GNI per capita, a 2.1 year increase in life expectancy at birth, and 2.4 additional expected years of schooling. Economic reforms since independence have led to greater economic freedom and reduced corruption, poverty, and unemployment. In 2013, Georgia had visa-free access to only 60 countries. That number has since grown to 115.

2013 to 2023 visa-free countries change: +55

St. Lucia

The Caribbean as a whole has seen tremendous growth in influence and global interest, and St. Lucia is no exception. With visa-free access to 146 countries in 2023, the St. Lucia passport has become increasingly powerful, adding 52 new destinations over the past decade.

2013 to 2023 visa-free countries change: +52

A spokesperson from Globalresidenceindex.com commented that holding a powerful passport is a crucial advantage, offering visa-free movement, significant investment opportunities, and a high quality of life paired with a shared responsibility to the rest of the world. They added that the ability to travel for leisure and business is pivotal to the growth and development of both nations and individuals, and that passports are meant to represent freedom, making it in every government’s interest to make that freedom as accessible as possible. Despite the tension and conflict that often dominates the headlines, they noted, globalization continues to bring real benefits to developing and established nations alike, and the growth in passport power seen across most countries over the last ten years reflects just how connected the world has become.

Rank Table: 2013 to 2023 Visa-Free Access