The world is changing quickly, perhaps most so than ever before, and with that comes a regular shift in the list of the world’s most powerful passports. The once steady list has been shaken up in recent years, thanks to many processes like political withdrawals, new alliances and ever-changing border restrictions across the globe. Today, Global Citizens Soulition has unveiled its highly anticipated Global Passport Index 2023 – an annual ranking of the 10 most powerful passports in the world.

The ranking system is based on a quantitative scoring system, stripping each country’s passport back to, quite literally, the opportunities they can offer. This comes in the shape of investment opportunities, quality of life indicators and the number of visa-free countries accessible to each nation’s passport.

True to years gone by, Europe dominated the list once again, holding eight of the top spots out of the total 10. Germany emerged as the world’s strongest passport, performing the strongest in investment opportunities, travel mobility, and quality of life, with the United States coming in second (2022’s most powerful passport, according to the Global Passport Index). Sweden claimed three positions this year from its previous ranking due to exceptional performance in the Enhanced Mobility Index, pushing Canada down to 8th position. 

The 10 most powerful passports for 2023

The top 10 passports ranked in the Global Passport Index are:

1. Germany
2.  The United States
3.  Sweden
4.  Denmark
5.  The Netherlands
6.  Finland
7.  The United Kingdom
8.  Canada
9.  Norway
10.  Switzerland

A German passport currently offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 198 countries and territories worldwide, ranking third in the world and fifth for quality of life – which considers sustainable development, freedom, environmental performance, migrant acceptance, and happiness. However, the country ranked highly in the cost o living index due to rising costs and inflation. Germany took the 11th spot for in investment in the world, proving it’s a favourite option for investors with a Gross National Income (GNI) of $59.090 and personal taxation of 45%.

The Global Possport’s 2023 index was developed in collaboration with senior STI data analysts Dr Roberto de Pinho and Vladimir Lopez-Bassols and is based on data from various institutions and multilateral organisations, including The World Bank, The World Economic Forum and The Sustainable Development Report, which come together to determine the most powerful passport for 2023.

“Our Global Passport Index is a valuable tool for anyone looking to make an informed decision about a second citizenship or simply considering relocation temporarily or permanently to another country,” explains Patricia Casaburi, CEO of Global Citizen Solutions. “The latest findings are based on rigorous research and evaluation that takes into account factors beyond travel mobility, such as taxation, quality of life, sustainability, and cost of living.”

A handful of organisations regularly rank passports and determine the world’s most powerful passport, including the Henley Passport Index. While the Global Passport Index considers various factors, the Henley Passport Index focuses on the accessibility and freedom the passport grants, with Japan coming out on top of its 2023 index. Nationals of the East Asian nation are currently granted visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to an impressive 193 destinations worldwide, with Singapore and South Korea in joint second at 190. Germany features but only in fourth place with 190, followed by Spain (190), Finland, Italy and Luxembourg (189), and Austria and Denmark at 188.