Romania has secured its 13th spot in a quarterly ranking of the world’s most powerful passports.
Six countries are tied for first place.According to the Henley Passport Index, the best passports are those from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain, all of which offer visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 194 destinations worldwide, the highest number recorded since the index began tracking global travel freedoms 19 years ago.
Finland and Sweden are tied with South Korea for second place – with easy access to 193 destinations, while Austria, Denmark, Ireland, and the Netherlands occupy the third place (with 192 destinations).
Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, and the United Kingdom are in fourth place, while Greece, Malta, and Switzerland are in fifth.
Australia and New Zealand have improved their rankings and are now in sixth place, alongside the Czech Republic and Poland.
Meanwhile, the United States and Canada are tied for seventh place, along with Hungary, with visa-free access to 188 destinations, reports G4Media.
Romania remains in 13th place after starting 2023 in 17th place, but the number of destinations that can be reached with a Romanian passport has increased from 176 to 179.
In 2006, Romania’s passport was ranked 34th, reports Romania Insider.
The global mobility gap between those at the top and bottom of the index is now greater than ever, according to Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of global citizenship and residency consultancy firm Henley & Partners. “The average number of destinations that travelers can access without a visa has almost doubled, from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024″ he says.
Romania has not yet been granted access to the visa waiver program – despite Romania’s continued support of the USA, including its hosting the American military base at Deveselu. Similarly, Romania has been denied Schengen access, which additionally limits travel mobility of citizens bearing a Romanian passport.
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