The PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games isn’t the only thingÊSouth KoreaÊis proud of this February. As the world tunes in,ÊSouth KoreaÊtakes the lead with the world’s most powerful passport. Ranking with an impressive visa-free score of 162,ÊSouth KoreaÊjoinsÊSingaporeÊat the top ofÊThe Passport IndexÊranking for the first time, ever.
The Passport Index is the world authority on passport ranking. Used by governments from around the world to monitor and increase the power of their passports, The Passport Index is the most recognized and trusted service with over 12 million users and counting.
Although European countries historically dominated the charts, withÊGermanyÊat the top, 2017 saw the rise ofÊAsia. In late 2017 Singapore took the lead as the first Asian country ever to top the world’s most powerful passports. ByÊDecember 2017,ÊGermanyÊcaught up but it wasn’t for too long.
“We are currently seeing not one but two Asian countries with the most powerful passports in the world,” sharedÊArmand ArtonÊfounder and president of Arton Capital. “This is a testament to the increased global respect and trust Asian countries are commanding,” added Arton.
Recent changes were mainly driven byÊUzbekistanÊgranting visa-free accessÊtoÊSouth KoreaÊandÊSingapore, as well as recent adjustments to visa policies inÊSomalia. WithÊSouth Korea’sÊvisa-free score of 162, South Korean passport holders haveÊaccessÊto many European, North American and Asian countries, includingÊThe United States of America,ÊCanada,ÊRussiaÊand others.
JapanÊquietly moved up to number two place in the Global Passport Power ranking with a visa-free score of 161. Although tied withÊGermany,ÊJapanÊhas fewer visa-free waivers thanÊGermanyÊwhich puts it fourth in theÊIndividual Passport Power Ranking. The Passport Index gives equal scores to both visa-free and visa on arrival conditions that add up to make the country’s visa-free score.
“Thanks to The Passport Index’ first-ever and unique real-time ranking, we are able to witness the volatility of the passport power trends,” shared Arton. Daily changes affect the positions of most passports but it is important to note that overall the world is opening up. According to Arton, “People don’t like imaginary borders that set boundaries to their opportunities in life.” “Having multiple passports has become the new norm and people who haven’t invested in this privilege feel anxious and left out,” added Arton.
TheÊWorld Openness ScoreÊas measured by The Passport Index has never been higher and has passed the 19,000 mark for the first time. The World Openness Score monitors how frictionless global travel is and since its inception in 2014, it has gained over 1,000 points.
The Passport Index issuesÊeye-catching certificatesÊto top position holders. Referred to as “art pieces,” past certificates have been issued toÊSingapore, theÊUnited Arab Emirates, and others.
BetweenÊSouth Korea’sÊcharming countryside dotted with cherry trees, century-old Buddhist temples, iconic sub-tropical islands, and ambitiously diverse cities such asÊSeoul, it is its moment to boast its 5000+ years of history and culture for the world to admire.
“Passion. Connected.” is the official slogan for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics hosted inÊSouth Korea. “The new slogan embodies our vision to expand winter sports participation to a truly global audience and encourage people to create and share their once-in-a-lifetime experiences at PyeongChang,” said PyeongChang Organizing Committee President, Yang-ho Cho.
