NZ passport flying high in new world rankings
If you have been suffering withdrawal symptoms as there hasn’t been a passport ranking for a while, fear not as a new list has arrived, albeit with a twist.
The Nomad Passport Index ranks 199 countries on their visa-free access to other states, but also looks at other factors like taxation systems, the ability to live freely, and whether a country allows dual citizenship.
In its summary, the organisers say that “while most indices – and most people – think of a passport only in terms of travel privileges, we understand that citizens of different countries deal with very different requirements to pay tax, live freely, comply with regulations, and avoid scrutiny when travelling. In that regard, the number of countries a passport holder may visit does not tell the whole story”.
In one category called “perception”, the index looks at the World Happiness Report, the Human Development Index and “subjective factors from our network’s experiences to determine how each country’s citizens are received and recognised”.
So who came out on top? Switzerland just sneaked in ahead of Ireland with Portugal also on the podium.
Europe has a stranglehold on the top spots, with only New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates among the leaders in joint sixth. Last year, the UAE led the table but drops down due to new tax laws affecting both domestic and overseas company owners.
At the other end is Afghanistan with Iraq and Yemen just above.
In other rankings, the Henley Passport Index recently saw six countries top the list in an “unprecedented” change.
Previous table-toppers Japan and Singapore were joined by four EU member states – France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. New Zealand is ranked joint 19th.
It uses data from the International Air Transport Association for its measurements, covering 199 passports and 227 travel destinations.
Another ranking, the Passport Index, looks at the passports of 193 United Nations member countries and six territories. It updates more regularly throughout the year and currently has the United Arab Emirates leading with New Zealand in joint 23rd.