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Top 10 most powerful passports in the world 2025: Ireland claims top spot, India slips; check full list

Top 10 strongest passports in the world 2025: The Nomad Capitalist Passport Index 2025 evaluates 199 nationalities based on five critical factors: visa-free travel, taxation, global perception, dual citizenship, and personal freedom.

Nomad Passport Index 2025: Here are the top 10 most powerful and weakest passports in the world, as of 2025 (Source: Freepik)Nomad Passport Index 2025: Here are the top 10 most powerful and weakest passports in the world, as of 2025 (Source: Freepik)

Nomad Passport Index 2025: In an ever-changing world, a passport is a symbol of freedom, mobility, and global access. The most powerful passports open up a world of opportunity, allowing their holders to travel with ease, thanks to visa-free or visa-on-arrival agreements between countries. These privileges often reflect a nation’s diplomatic influence, strong international ties, and stability, making such passports highly desirable among travelers, entrepreneurs, and global citizens.

The Nomad Capitalist Passport Index 2025, compiled by the international tax and immigration firm Nomad Capitalist, offers a unique look into which countries offer the most travel-friendly passports, and which ones lag far behind. This year, Ireland has claimed the top spot, making it the most powerful passport in the world. It’s the first time Ireland has held the number one position outright, though it nearly topped the list in 2020 when it tied with Luxembourg and Sweden.

Sharing second place are Switzerland and Greece, both strong contenders, thanks to their solid international reputations and favourable policies. While European nations dominate the top 10 ranks, the United Arab Emirates and New Zealand have also made impressive appearances, standing out as the only non-European countries among the elite group.

What sets this ranking apart is its methodology––it doesn’t just look at where a passport can take you. The index evaluates 199 nationalities based on five critical factors: visa-free travel, taxation, global perception, dual citizenship, and personal freedom.

Nomad Passport Index 2025: Top 10 strongest passports in the world

Rank Country No. of Countries Accessible Score
1. Ireland 176 109
2T. Switzerland 175 108.50
2T. Greece 175 108.50
4. Portugal 176 108
5T. Malta 171 107.50
5T. Italy 175 107.50
7T. Luxembourg 176 107
7T. Finland 176 107
7T. Norway 176 107
10T. United Arab Emirates 179 106.50
10T. New Zealand 173 106.50
10T. Iceland 171 106.50

T = Tied Ranking

Source: Nomad Passport Index 2025

Where does the Indian passport rank?

As for India, the index places it at 148th, tied with Comoros, with an overall score of 47.5. That’s a slight dip from last year, when it ranked 147th alongside Mozambique. The score breakdown includes average marks across all five categories, indicating areas where India may need to improve to enhance global mobility for its citizens.

India is tied at 148th position in the Nomad Passport Index 2025 (Source: Nomad Capitalist)

World’s weakest passports 2025

On the other end of the spectrum, some passports still offer limited global mobility. Afghanistan is ranked at the very bottom, while Yemen, Eritrea, Iraq, and Pakistan make up the rest of the lowest five. Pakistan’s passport is ranked 195th with a total score of 32. Its “Travel” score stands at 46, based on access to just nine visa-free countries, 33 visa-on-arrival destinations, and only four electronic travel authorization (eTA) options. It received a “Taxation” score of 20.

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Trailing Pakistan in the rankings are Iraq, which scored 31.50 points, Eritrea with 31 points, Yemen at 30.50 points, and Afghanistan at the bottom with just 27 points.

Rank Country No. of Countries Accessible Score
199. Afghanistan 40 27
198. Yemen 47 30.50
197. Eritrea 52 31
196. Iraq 45 31.50
195. Pakistan 46 32
193T. Syria 39 32.50
193T. Somalia 45 32.50
192. North Korea 52 33
191. Libya 52 34
190. Palestinian Territory 50 35

T = Tied Ranking

Source: Nomad Passport Index 2025

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