It’s a great day to consider becoming a citizen of the Netherlands. The Dutch passport has been ranked as the fifth most powerful in the world. Jippie! 🥳
The global citizenship and residence advisory firm, Henley & Partners, released its annual passport index — which compares 199 different passports to 227 travel destinations. 🗺️
The Netherlands can enjoy the luxury of having one of the best passports since the Dutchies can travel freely to 188 countries in the world! 🤯
Surprised? Not really
It’s safe to say that the Dutch truly are a spoiled bunch when it comes to travelling with freedom.
At the start of this year, the Dutch passport ranked fourth-best in the world — and in 2021, they were crowned sixth on the list. 👑
East Asians for the win
In recent years, East Asian countries have snatched more top spots on the list, which used to be dominated quite largely by European countries, reports RTL Nieuws.
READ MORE | How to get Dutch citizenship in 2022: becoming a Nederlander
The country that sits on the throne of most powerful passports is Japan, giving their citizens the ability to travel to 193 countries without a visa!
Following not too far behind on the list are Singapore and South Korea, each with free access to 192 countries.
Other countries were not so lucky
There are a few more countries that are worth mentioning, given what’s going on in the world right now.
Russia currently ranks 50th this year, with their passport allowing them to visit 119 countries visa-free.
READ MORE | Bad news for Brits! This new visa will make travelling to Europe more difficult
At the very bottom, Afghanistan dangles at 112th on the list, giving its citizens access to only 27 countries across the world.
Of course, with European airports (we’re looking at you, Schiphol 😑) being extra dramatic these days, having a powerful passport doesn’t entirely mean folks can travel hassle-free.
Even so, it’s still something to celebrate for those that made the top of the list. 😉
Want to know where your passport stands? Take a look for yourself! 👇
Best passports to hold in 2022
| Rank | Country | # Countries |
| 1 | Japan | 193 |
| 2 | Singapore, South Korea | 192 |
| 3 | Germany, Spain | 190 |
| 4 | Finland, Italy, Luxembourg | 189 |
| 5 | Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden | 188 |
| 6 | France, Ireland, Portugal, United Kingdom | 187 |
| 7 | Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the U.S. | 186 |
| 8 | Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Greece, Malta | 185 |
| 9 | Hungary | 183 |
| 10 | Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia | 182 |
Worst passports to hold in 2022
| Rank | Country | # Countries |
| 1 | Congo, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Sudan | 42 |
| 2 | Bangladesh, Kosovo, Libya | 41 |
| 3 | North Korea | 40 |
| 4 | Nepal, Palestinian territories | 38 |
| 5 | Somalia | 35 |
| 6 | Yemen | 34 |
| 7 | Pakistan | 32 |
| 8 | Syria | 30 |
| 9 | Iraq | 29 |
| 10 | Afghanistan | 27 |
Did your country make the cut? Tell us in the comments below! 👇
8 Australia
Hungary! Top 10! 🇭🇺 Mesés!