Measuring the true power of passports
In 2022, the UAE ranked first on the Passport Index’s ‘Global Passport Power Rank’ and ‘Individual Passport Power Rank’. But how? With hundreds of passports in the world, and several ranking systems in place, understanding what determines the actual value of a passport is intricate. Here are some key considerations to assess when analysing a passport’s strength:
Passport power rank
‘Mobility Score’ is a standard metric of measurement, and typically the first factor to be considered, among all indexes. MS considers the number of countries that any given passport can easily access. It is determined by a total of factors including electronic travel authorisation (eTA), visafree (VF), and visa-on-arrival (VOA) capability. If you travel frequently, then a high MS is essential for facilitating a seamless entry and exit experience between countries. For example, the UAE passport grants VF travel to 114 countries, VOA to 55, and eTA to seven, equating to its total MS of 174 on the Passport Index.
Comparatively, Canada’s passport accommodates VF travel to 107 countries, VOA to 54, and eTA to six, contributing to its slightly lower fifth-place global position in this year’s rankings. In essence, a passport’s global ranking is primarily predicated on MS; the higher this value is, the more powerful a passport is perceived to be. If two passports share the same MS value, they are ranked as the same. For instance, while the UAE stands atop of the leader board, 12 countries trail them with the same MS of 170: Germany, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain, Italy, Holland, Austria, Switzerland, Japan, and South Korea are all tied at a second-place.
With the world continually advancing in technology, the metaverse could eventually be something to keep in mind.
Individual passport power rank
Germany and Sweden are two of 10 countries that have an MS of 170, and thus both rank equally at second place on the Global Power Rank. For the Individual Power Rank, Germany retains second place but Sweden sits at 16th — why? Germany facilitates VF travel to 116 countries to edge Sweden’s 115, Sweden enables VOA to 47 to edge Germany’s 46, and both countries provide eTA to eight. Passport Index’s methodology does not consider eTA, but it does place weight on VF and VOA. Given that VF is viewed as more advantageous than VOA, it accordingly holds more weight to help Germany surpass Sweden. However, this is not the sole reason for a 14-spot discrepancy between the two countries. Developed by the UN, the Human Development Index is a metric that measures a country’s global perception. It is used as a tiebreaker by quantifying a country’s performance in three dimensions: a long and healthy life, knowledge, and a decent standard of living. The first dimension considers life expectancy at birth, while the second considers both the expected years of schooling and the average years of schooling, and the third and final dimension considers GNI (Gross National Income) per capita. Based on these considerations in 2022, Germany holds a total HDI score of 0.936, while Sweden’s score is 0.933. Though the difference appears minuscule, the impact is major.
Overall potential
The MS, VF, VOA, and the HDI are all tangible metrics, but other indefinable characteristics play a part when trying to determine what passport is right for you — especially in the case of Citizenship-by-Investment (CBI) and Residency-by-Investment (RBI). With the world continually advancing in technology, the metaverse could eventually be something to keep in mind. Millions of people are born with passports that restrict their mobility and hinder access to opportunities. If the metaverse’s potential is realised, the circumstances they were born into could remove these limitations.