According to the Nomad Passport Index 2025, Ireland has the strongest passport in the world. This is the first time the northern European nation has held the top spot on its own in the annual ranking from the tax and immigration consultancy Nomad Capitalist. Ireland did, however, come close in 2020, when it shared the top spot with Sweden and Luxembourg.
The company’s research partner, Javier Correa, told CNBC Travel, “Ireland shook up the rankings, thanks to the country’s strong international reputation, business-friendly tax policies, and overall citizenship flexibility.”
Nomad Capitalist’s ranking analyzes five factors, in contrast to previous rankings which often evaluate passports only on their ability to travel without a visa:
- Visa-free travel — 50%
- Taxation — 20%
- Global perception — 10%
- Ability to hold dual citizenship — 10%
- Personal freedom (freedom of the press, mandatory military service, etc.) — 10%
According to the index, these requirements enable those thinking about getting a different or additional passport to better understand the “true value” of citizenships around the world and, in the end, “go where they’re treated best.”
The ranking of passports
According to the index, the ninth edition of the list uses 20 sources to rank 199 countries and territories, including the World Happiness Report and the United Nations Human Development Index for perception rankings and national tax authorities for tax rankings.
With the exception of the visa category, which determines how many different countries passport holders are allowed to enter without a visa, scores vary from 10 to 50.
Here’s the list from first to 49th place:
| 1 | Ireland | 176 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 109.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2T | Switzerland | 175 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 108.5 |
| 2T | Greece | 175 | 40 | 40 | 50 | 40 | 108.5 |
| 4 | Portugal | 176 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 40 | 108.0 |
| 5T | Malta | 171 | 40 | 40 | 50 | 50 | 107.5 |
| 5T | Italy | 175 | 40 | 40 | 50 | 30 | 107.5 |
| 7T | Luxembourg | 176 | 20 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 107.0 |
| 7T | Finland | 176 | 20 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 107.0 |
| 7T | Norway | 176 | 20 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 107.0 |
| 10T | UAE | 179 | 40 | 40 | 20 | 30 | 106.5 |
| 10T | New Zealand | 173 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 40 | 106.5 |
| 10T | Iceland | 171 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 106.5 |
| 13T | Netherlands | 176 | 30 | 50 | 20 | 50 | 106.0 |
| 13T | Germany | 176 | 20 | 50 | 40 | 50 | 106.0 |
| 13T | Czech Republic | 174 | 20 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 106.0 |
| 13T | Belgium | 176 | 20 | 50 | 50 | 40 | 106.0 |
| 13T | Denmark | 176 | 20 | 50 | 50 | 40 | 106.0 |
| 13T | Slovenia | 172 | 40 | 50 | 30 | 40 | 106.0 |
| 19T | Sweden | 175 | 20 | 50 | 50 | 40 | 105.5 |
| 19T | Latvia | 173 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 40 | 105.5 |
| 21T | United Kingdom | 172 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 40 | 105.0 |
| 21T | France | 176 | 20 | 40 | 50 | 40 | 105.0 |
| 21T | Estonia | 174 | 30 | 50 | 20 | 50 | 105.0 |
| 21T | Croatia | 174 | 30 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 105.0 |
| 21T | Romania | 172 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 40 | 105.0 |
| 26T | Monaco | 169 | 50 | 40 | 10 | 50 | 104.5 |
| 26T | Cyprus | 171 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 40 | 104.5 |
| 26T | Singapore | 175 | 40 | 50 | 10 | 30 | 104.5 |
| 29T | Lithuania | 172 | 30 | 50 | 30 | 40 | 104.0 |
| 29T | Austria | 176 | 20 | 50 | 20 | 50 | 104.0 |
| 29T | Bulgaria | 172 | 30 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 104.0 |
| 32T | Hungary | 175 | 30 | 30 | 40 | 30 | 103.5 |
| 32T | Poland | 175 | 20 | 30 | 50 | 40 | 103.5 |
| 32T | Spain | 177 | 30 | 30 | 20 | 40 | 103.5 |
| 35 | Slovakia | 174 | 20 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 103.0 |
| 36 | Liechtenstein | 173 | 20 | 50 | 20 | 50 | 102.5 |
| 37T | Malaysia | 170 | 40 | 40 | 10 | 40 | 102.0 |
| 37T | Japan | 174 | 20 | 50 | 20 | 40 | 102.0 |
| 39 | South Korea | 175 | 20 | 40 | 30 | 30 | 101.5 |
| 40T | Canada | 172 | 20 | 30 | 50 | 30 | 101.0 |
| 40T | Australia | 172 | 20 | 30 | 50 | 30 | 101.0 |
| 40T | Chile | 162 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 40 | 101.0 |
| 43T | Argentina | 162 | 30 | 30 | 50 | 40 | 99.0 |
| 43T | Brazil | 164 | 30 | 40 | 40 | 30 | 99.0 |
| 45T | United States | 171 | 10 | 30 | 50 | 30 | 98.5 |
| 45T | San Marino | 161 | 40 | 40 | 10 | 50 | 98.5 |
| 47T | Bahamas | 154 | 50 | 30 | 20 | 50 | 97.0 |
| 47T | Barbados | 156 | 40 | 30 | 50 | 30 | 97.0 |
| 49T | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 147 | 50 | 40 | 50 | 40 | 96.5 |
| 49T | Uruguay | 151 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 50 | 96.5 |
| 49T | Vatican City | 151 | 50 | 40 | 30 | 40 | 96.5 |
| 49T | Andorra | 161 | 30 | 40 | 10 | 50 | 96.5 |
From the perennial powerhouse of Switzerland to the small nations of Luxembourg and Malta, nine of the top ten slots are occupied by European states.
The United Arab Emirates and New Zealand, tied for 10th place, have the highest-ranked passports outside of Europe.
UAE drops, Greece rises
Due to adjustments to their respective tax ratings, Greece (tied for second place), Slovenia (tied for 13th place), and Spain (tied for 3 place) all saw increases in the 2025 rankings.
According to a press release announcing the ranking, “Greece surged dramatically from sixth into joint second with Switzerland, reflecting its growing credibility among high-net-worth individuals, retirees, and global investors in a turbulent year marked by shifting geopolitics and policy upheaval.”
Other countries, such as Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Lithuania, fell in the rankings, nevertheless. Notably, the UAE dropped to 10th place in 2025 after ranking No.1 in 2023 and tied for No.6 in 2024.
“Recently introduced taxes … have tarnished [the UAE’s] allure for global entrepreneurs,” the release stated.
Singapore and Japan, which are at the top of other lists, are ranked lower on Nomad Capitalist’s list. Both had low scores for dual citizenship, which is illegal in Singapore and limited in Japan. Singapore obtains poor ratings for personal freedoms, whereas Japan is likewise penalized in the taxation category.
According to Reporters Without Borders’ 2024 World Press Freedom Index, Singapore ranks 126th out of 180 countries. Male nationals and permanent residents are required to serve in the military for about two years after turning 18. But when it comes to “perception,” the island nation scores highest.
Pakistan, Iraq, Eritrea, Yemen, and Afghanistan have the weakest passports on the list, which goes from 195 to 199.
