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The latest analysis from Astons, reveals that Spain, and Greece have some of the most powerful and accessible passports in the world, providing visa-free access to more foreign nations than those available to holders of UK, US, Russian, or Chinese passports.
Astons has analysed data around which nations have the most powerful passports in terms of the number of foreign countries holders can gain access to without needing a full visa.*
The data reveals that a passport from the United Arab Emirate provides access to 179 different countries without requiring a full visa. 133 of which can be accessed without a visa while another 46 simply require a visa application to be completed on arrival. However, for a non-UAE native to gain access to a UAE passport is nigh-on impossible with naturalisation only available after living in the country for 30 years, or to those considered to have exceptional merits, so the benefits it provides in terms of visa-free travel are essentially out of reach.
Spain is leading the way in Europe with a passport that gives access to 177 countries, 133 which require no visa at all. For a long time, Spain has also run a residency by investment programme, often referred to as a Golden Visa scheme, in which foreign nationals can earn Spanish residency, and therefore EU residency, by investing at least €500,000 in the local economy. Once residency is secured, the path to citizenship, and therefore a Spanish passport, opens up. However, Spain’s Golden Visa programme is due to end in April 2025 which will leave investors and expats looking for alternative destinations that can provide an equally influential residency status.
There are another 14 nations that rank as having the most powerful passports in the world, and none of the countries that are most often referred to as ‘superpowers’ are included on the list.
Passports from France, Germany, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark,Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Greece, and Ireland all provide access to 176 countries either visa-free or with a simple visa on arrival process.
In contrast, a UK passport offers access to only 172 countries, and a US passport opens the doors to 171 countries. Meanwhile, passports from Russia (127) and China (96) provide even more limited access to other countries.
For High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs), some of the global passport superpower nations are more attractive than others due to the fact that they offer residency by investment programmes, often referred to as Golden Visas, which provide residency status in exchange for financial investment into the local economy. This status can then lay the groundwork for gaining full citizenship status, and therefore a passport, later down the line.
Perhaps the most attractive of these Golden Visa nations is Greece due to the fact that expats can gain a five-year family residency for a minimum of investment of just €250,000 in local real estate. Greek residency, of course, provides free access to the EU as well as convenient geographical access to markets in the Middle East.
However, rumours are now stirring that Greece plans to end its Golden Visa programme. It’s unclear when exactly this would happen, but there’s a good chance that 2025 will end up being the last opportunity foreign nationals have to take advantage of such accessible residency to Greece, its booming economy, and its highly attractive expat tax regimes.
Citizenship, residence permit, and real estate investment expert for Astons, Alena Lesina, commented:
“Some nations have more powerful passports than others, and in this area the biggest influence certainly doesn’t sit with the global superpower nations such as the US and China. Instead we’re looking at the likes of UAE, Spain, Germany and Greece where passports all provide incredibly open access to the world.
For US or UK citizens who are frustrated by the limitations and restrictions of their passports, it’s common to seek residency to another country with a more open passport, usually through a residency by investment (RBI) programme, or a Golden Visa Scheme. While residency alone doesn’t provide access to a passport, some nations allow you to turn your residency into full citizenship over time.
And this brings us to an important consideration: it doesn’t matter how powerful a passport is if you’re not able to get hold of one, so it’s vital to account for how readily one can get be awarded a passport for a country they aren’t currently a citizen of. This is why the UAE passport, for example, can be disregarded by anyone looking to gain greater freedom of travel due to its 30-year naturalisation requirements.
With the likes of Spain and Greece, on the other hand, naturalisation is available after living in the country for just 10 years and seven years respectively. But having a passport isn’t necessarily a priority for expats in Greece or Spain because simple residency gives you open access to the EU and free movement of the Schengen area therein. This can be incredibly powerful for US and UK passport holders who want to expand their business interests or diversify their financial investments outside of their home nations.
However, Spain’s Golden Visa programme is closing in April, which means Greece has become the focal point of attention among US and UK expats. But Greece too is rumoured to be closing its own programme which means interested investors probably have less than a year left to secure Greek residency and access all of the incredible opportunities it offers.
Portugal provides another interesting case study, given that expats can obtain a Portuguese passport just five years applying for a Golden Visa, rather than five years after receiving a residency permit. Additionally, Portugal does not impose strict residency requirements, allowing for a more flexible naturalisation process while maintaining the freedom to travel extensively.
Portugal also offers an attractive investment programme with a Golden Visa through fund investment, starting from €500,000. However, the waiting time for a Portuguese residence card exceeds 18 months, whereas it takes only three to five months in Greece.”
Data tables and sources
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Notes to Editors: –
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