Britain tops list of world’s most powerful passports

British passport holders have visa-free access to the highest number of countries in the world, new research suggests
British passort holders are able to access 173 countries without a visa  Photo: Fotolia/AP
British travel documents were cited as among the most powerful in the world, with passport holders in the UK, along with those in Finland and Sweden, able to enter 173 countries either without a visa or with a visa-on-arrival, according to research by movehub.com, a website for people moving abroad.
The US, Denmark, Germany and Luxembourg were joint second in the ranking, with passport holders able to access 172 countries. Passport holders across countries in Europe, North America and Australasia, including Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Canada and New Zealand, generally had the best access, being able enter between 168 and 173 foreign countries without a visa or by receiving one upon arrival.

South American passport holders were shown to have moderate access, with Argentina and Brazil having the strongest visa-free entry privileges, being able to access 147 and 146 countries respectively.

Afghanistan was cited as having the worst access, being able to enter only 28 countries without a visa, followed by Iraq (31 countries), Pakistan and Somalia (both with visa-free access to 32 countries). They were followed by North Korea, Angola, Iran, Sudan and Syria – also among the hardest countries to get a visa for – with visa-free access ranging from 38 to 41 countries.

British travellers have been met with various changes in visa rules and regulations in recent years. As of this week, those hoping to visit Kazakhstan may find it a easier process as the country's president granted visa-free travel to British travellers for one year. The new scheme also applies to citizens of the US, Germany, France, Italy, the UAE, Malaysia, the Netherlands, South Korea and Japan. Up until now, Britons wishing to visit Kazakhstan have had to comply with a lengthy list of visa application requirements, including payment of £35 for a single-entry tourist visa, completion of a visa application form, hotel booking confirmations, and a letter addressed to the consular section of the Embassy of Kazakhstan.

Earlier this year, the price of a tourist visa to Jordan, which cost 20 Jordanian dinars (JOD), was doubled with 24 hours’ notice to about £34. The current waiver on the visa fee for tourists travelling in groups of five or more, staying more than three nights in Jordan, and using a national tour operator or British company with a Jordanian ground partner, continues to apply but the move does affect small groups, tailor-made and independent travellers.

From April this year, British holidaymakers heading to Turkey were required to apply for an electronic visa in advance, replacing the prior visa-on-arrival scheme.

Last year, India announced plans to relax its visa regulations for 40 countries, including Britain, in a bid to entice more tourists to visit. The facility was introduced to residents of Germany, France, Spain, Russia and Poland earlier that year, but had not been offered to Britons. It was originally suggested it would only be offered to British nationals once a reciprocal system was introduced to those seeking entry to the UK. However, Indian officials seem to have backtracked as part of a concerted campaign to increase tourism to the country. Although a definite date has not been announced, officials have said the new regulations would be introduced "as soon as possible".