A passport is a very important document through which you exercise your rights and access certain benefits in your country and other territories. It is, therefore, very important to obtain a powerful passport. With a good passport, you can travel to other countries, live, work, or start a business in a country of your choice.
But having just one powerful passport is not enough in the current scenario. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced the importance of having a second passport that ensures your residency in a second place, where you can travel for safety and avoid stringent travel restrictions. So having a passport that allows you to travel visa-free to various countries and explore opportunities, is critical. In this article, we will help you identify the weakest passport in the world, the benefits of obtaining a second passport, and Residency/Citizenship by Investment.
Residency and Citizenship by Investment
While having a passport from your country is excellent, having a second passport is even better.
Many countries have opened their doors allowing individuals to obtain citizenship or residency through their attractive CBI programs. Through investments, you can now obtain citizenship in popular countries around the world and enjoy various benefits.
According to Forbes, the top 5 countries offering the best Citizenship by Investment Programs are St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Malta, Portugal, and New Zealand. To learn more about the CBI countries list, you can read our article: Citizenship by Investment Countries List & Guide 2024.
Benefits of Second Citizenship
- Backup option in case of political, economic, or health instability in your present country
- Better tax planning and other financial benefits
- Diversification of your investment portfolio
- Improved mobility and visa-free access to various countries across the globe
- Business opportunities in a different country
- Seamless application process
- Security of your entire family
- Opportunity to relocate and stay in a safe and secure place
Learn about Citizenship by Investment by visiting our article: Citizenship by Investment Guide 2023.
Top Passports for Second Citizenship
If you are considering obtaining second citizenship, read the list below to learn about the best passport you can have as an expat.
| Rank | Country | Access |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 174 |
| 2 | United States | 173 |
| 3 | Sweden | 174 |
| 4 | Denmark | 174 |
| 5 | The Netherlands | 174 |
| 6 | Finland | 174 |
| 7 | United Kingdom | 172 |
| 8 | Canada | 172 |
| 9 | Norway | 173 |
| 10 | Switzerland | 174 |
| 11 | Moncao | 166 |
| 12 | Luxembourg | 174 |
| 13 | Singapore | 174 |
| 14 | Ireland | 174 |
| 15 | France | 174 |
| 16 | Australia | 174 |
| 17 | New Zealand | 174 |
| 18 | Liechtenstein | 170 |
| 19 | Austria | 174 |
| 20 | Japan | 172 |
Which is the weakest passport in the world?
Although it is excellent to know about the best passports in the world and their benefits, it is equally important to learn about the weakest passports in the world so you can make a sound decision.
In this section, we will help you understand the various parameters we consider to determine the quality and impact of your passport. These include:
Travel mobility
Travel mobility means the number of countries you can travel to without obtaining a visa beforehand. There is a specific score for your passport based on the number of countries you can visit visa-free, visa-on access, or through electronic travel authority.
Opportunities for investment
The passport of a country is considered robust if it allows expats to explore various opportunities for investment in the country and, in return, make profits. Investments can include offshoring, initiating a business, or buying real estate.
Fit for second residency
A country’s passport is viable if foreign investors can live comfortably.
Here is the list of the weakest passports in the world.
(Islamic Republic of) Iran – 10th weakest passport
Enhanced Mobility score: 71
Due to political instability, Iran is considered to have one of the weakest passports in the world.
Iran Visa-Free Countries:
- Armenia
- Cook Islands
- Dominica
- Ecuador
- Georgia
- Haiti
- Malaysia
- Micronesia
- Mongolia
- Niue
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Qatar
- Sri Lanka
- Türkiye
- Venezuela
Iran Visa on arrival/eVisa Countries:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Benin
- Colombia
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lesotho
- Moldova
- Montserrat
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Suriname
- Tajikistan
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Zambia
- Azerbaijan
- Bolivia
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cabo Verde
- Comoros
- Guinea-Bissau
- Lebanon
- Macau
- Madagascar
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Nepal
- Palau
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- Syria
- Tanzania
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Zimbabwe
Libya – 9th weakest passport
Enhanced Mobility Score – 71
Due to the country’s political instability and security concerns, Libya in North Africa has one of the weakest passports in the world. With a Libiyan passport, you can travel to the following countries without a visa.
Libya Visa-Free Countries:
- Algeria
- Benin
- Dominica
- Gambia
- Haiti
- Malaysia
- Mauritania
- Micronesia
- Palestinian Territories
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Suriname
- Tunisia
Libya Visa on arrival/eVisa Countries:
- Angola
- Bolivia
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Comoros
- Congo
- Cuba – Tourist card
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Iran
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Macao
- Madagascar
- Maldives
- Mozambique
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Palau
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Tanzania
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
Pakistan – 8th weakest passport
Enhanced Mobility Score – 67
Since Pakistan is often associated with terrorist linkages, the passport of Pakistan is considered to be one of the weakest in the world. In addition to this, the country also has an unstable government, ongoing economic crisis, and security issues.
Here is the list of Pakistan Visa-Free Countries:
- Barbados
- Dominica
- Gambia
- Haiti
- Micronesia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Suriname
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Vanuatu
Here is a list of Pakistan Visa on Arrival/eVisa Countries:
- Angola
- Azerbaijan
- Bolivia
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Comoros
- Congo (Dem. Rep.)
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Palau
- Qatar
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
North Korea – 7th weakest passport
Enhanced Mobility Score – 70
Like Libya, the passport of North Korea is also not a great passport to have. Since most of the citizens are not allowed to leave the country, the passport of North Korea is not very viable. Traveling to a different country requires permission from the topmost leaders of the country, and therefore it is restricted to only business travel.
Although the government has stringent restrictions, a North Korean passport allows visa-free travel or visa-on-arrival visits to around 50 countries, including countries like Madagascar, the Maldives, Dominica, Egypt, etc.
North Korea Visa Free Countries:
- Dominica
- Gambia
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Kyrgyzstan
- Micronesia
- Palestinian Territories
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Suriname
North Korea Visa on Arrival/eVisa Countries:
- Angola
- Armenia
- Bangladesh
- Bolivia
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Comoros
- Congo (Dem. Rep.)
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Iran
- Jordan
- Laos
- Lesotho
- Macao
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Nigeria
- Palau
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Tanzania
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
Palestine Territories – 6th weakest passport
Enhanced Mobility Score – 70
Owing to its political unrest and other issues, the passport of Palestine Territories is considered to be among the weakest passports in the world. Here is a list of countries you can visit visa-free/visa on arrival with a Palestine Territories passport.
Palestine Territories Visa Free Countries:
- Bolivia
- Dominica
- Ecuador
- Eswatini
- Jordan
- Malaysia
- Micronesia
- Nicaragua
- Suriname
- Venezuela
Palestine Territories Visa on Arrival / eVisa Countries:
- Angola
- Bangladesh
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Comoros
- Congo (Dem. Rep.)
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Laos
- Lesotho
- Macao
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Palau
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Türkiye
- Uganda
- Zimbabwe
Yemen – 5th weakest passport
Enhanced Mobility Score- 45
As Yemen is enduring an ongoing war, the passport of the country stands very low as per passport rankings. The connectivity to and from the country is minimal due to this unrest. Various visa policy restrictions are applied to Yemen passport holders. Therefore, citizens of Yemen are mostly not allowed to enter nations like the US, Canada, and Australia.
Here is the list of Yemen Visa-Free Countries:
- Dominica
- Haiti
- Malaysia
- Micronesia
- Palestinian Territories
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Syria
Yemen Visa on Arrival / eVisa Countries:
- Angola
- Bolivia
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Comoros
- Congo (Dem. Rep.)
- Djibout
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Macao
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Palau
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Seychelles
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Tajikistan
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
Somalia – 4th weakest passport
Enhanced Mobility Score: 66
Due to various factors like inefficient health infrastructure, political unrest, security issues, and more, the Somalia passport is said to be one of the weakest passports in the world. Countries like the UK, US, Canada, and New Zealand don’t even consider the Somalia passport as a valid travel document, which makes traveling to these countries very limited. Only with business visas. residence permits or other additional paperwork are Somalians allowed to enter these countries. Here is a list of countries you can visit visa-free with a Somali passport.
Somalia Visa-Free Countries:
- Benin
- Dominica
- Gambia
- Haiti
- Malaysia
- Micronesia
- Palestinian Territories
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Suriname
Somalia Visa on Arrival/eVisa Countries
- Angola
- Bangladesh
- Bolivia
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Comoros
- Congo (Dem. Rep.)
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Macao
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Nigeria
- Palau
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- South Sudan
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
Iraq – 3rd weakest passport
Enhanced Mobility Score: 64
The main reason that the passport of Iraq has such a low score is terrorism in the country. Over the years, Iraq has been subjected to various terrorist activities, and therefore, the country has an unstable government. Moreover, Iraq also deals with poverty, various socio-economic issues, and more.
Here is the list of Iraq Visa-Free Countries:
- Dominica
- Haiti
- Iran
- Malaysia
- Micronesia
- Suriname
- Zambia
Iraq Visa on Arrival/eVisa Countries
- Angola
- Armenia
- Bolivia
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Comoros
- Congo (Dem. Rep.)
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Macao
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- Palau
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
Syrian Arab Republic: 2nd weakest passport
Enhanced Mobility Score – 62
As Syria is subjected to terrorism and armed conflicts, the passport of Syria is regarded as the weakest passport in the world.
Here is the complete list of the Syria Visa Free Countries:
- Dominica
- Haiti
- Iran
- Malaysia
- Micronesia
- Palestinian Territories
- Suriname
Syria Visa on Arrival / eVisa Countries:
- Angola
- Bolivia
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Comoros
- Congo (Dem. Rep.)
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Macao
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- Palau
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Yemen
Afghanistan: Weakest passport
Enhanced Mobility Score – 61
The passport of Afghanistan is deemed to be the worst and weakest in the world. This is due to various reasons, such as political unrest, social and civil issues, and terrorist activities. The country allows very limited travel to countries without a visa.
Below is the complete list of the Afghanistan Visa Free Countries:
- Dominica
- Haiti
- Micronesia
- Suriname
Afghanistan Visa on Arrival/eVisa Countries:
- Angola
- Bangladesh
- Bolivia
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Comoros
- Congo (Dem. Rep.)
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- India
- Lesotho
- Macao
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- Palau
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
How to get a Second Citizenship?
If you are planning to opt for a second citizenship for better living and investment opportunities, then you can do so by applying for Citizenship by Investment. Various countries across the world now offers the Citizenship by Investment Programs to attract foreign investment in return of offering citizenship or residency.
Benefits of Second Citizenship
- More freedom to travel across the world without a visa
- Global mobility opportunities
- Stability and security of yourself nd your family
- Better tax infrastructure
- Better investment opportunities
- Increased financial opportunities
For more details, visit our article: How to Get a Second Passport
Best Passports for Expats
In this section below, we have listed down what are the best passports that expats can apply for:
| Rank | Country | Access |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 174 |
| 2 | United States | 173 |
| 3 | Sweden | 174 |
| 4 | Denmark | 174 |
| 5 | The Netherlands | 174 |
| 6 | Finland | 174 |
| 7 | United Kingdom | 172 |
| 8 | Canada | 172 |
| 9 | Norway | 173 |
| 10 | Switzerland | 174 |
| 11 | Moncao | 166 |
| 12 | Luxembourg | 174 |
| 13 | Singapore | 174 |
| 14 | Ireland | 174 |
| 15 | France | 174 |
| 16 | Australia | 174 |
| 17 | New Zealand | 174 |
| 18 | Liechtenstein | 170 |
| 19 | Austria | 174 |
| 20 | Japan | 172 |
To know more, read our article: The Best Passport for Expats to Own in 2023
How to buy Citizenship?
To obtain an economic citizenship of a country, you need to ensure the following steps:
Select a Citizenship by Investment Program of your choice – Go through all the process and benefits of the CBI program of various countries and then finalize the Citizenship by Investment Program that suits you the best.
Pass the Eligibility Test – Every Citizenship by Investment Program have certain requirements that every individual needs to pass. For instance, the applicant must not have any criminal record, must be in good health condition, and have enough investments.
Make your Qualifying Investment – After you check all the requirements of the Citizenship of Investment Program you select, you need to pass the eligibility test and make the minimum investment as per the requirement of the program.
Obtain passports for yourself and your family – After you complete your investments, you can apply for the passports of you and your family.
Read our article: How to buy a passport for more details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has the weakest passport in the world?
Due to political tensions and socio-economic crisis, the passport of Afghanistan is considered to be the weakest in the world.
Which countries have the weakest passports?
The countries which have the weakest passports in the world includes: Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Somalia, Yemen, Palestine Territories, Pakistan, North Korea, and Libya.
Is the Indian passport weak?
No the Indian passport is not weak. It is actually the 133rd powerful passport in the world. The Indian passport ensures visa free access to around 92 countries across the world.
