PassportIndex

In plain words

A passport index is a list that ranks the world’s passports by visa-free strength: how many countries their holder can enter without a visa or with a simplified visa. The best known are the Henley Passport Index and the Arton Capital ranking. The higher a passport ranks, the greater the freedom to travel.

For investment migration the index is a convenient guide. It shows what a second passport will give: Caribbean passports, for example, open visa-free access to about 140-150 countries, including the Schengen area, while an EU passport gives even more, plus the right to live and work in the Union. That way programmes can be compared not only on price but on mobility.

It is important to understand the limits of the index: it measures only freedom to travel, not quality of life, taxes or the right to work. Strong visa-free access is about tourism and business visits. For relocation, taxes or business other criteria are looked at, and the ranking is used as one input, not the only one.

Why people look at the ranking

What matters about the ranking

How to use the ranking when choosing

1. 01Define the goal (travel/relocation)
2. 02Compare passports by visa-free access
3. 03Weigh against price and timelines
4. 04Take other criteria into account
5. 05Choice of programme

What you need to know

• The index measures a passport’s visa-free strength
• The well-known rankings are Henley and Arton
• Caribbean passports give visa-free access to 140-150 countries
• An EU passport gives more, plus the right to live and work
• The ranking is not about taxes or quality of life

Common mistakes

• ✕Choosing a passport on its place in the ranking alone
• ✕Confusing visa-free access with the right to live and work
• ✕Ignoring taxes and other criteria
• ✕Treating the ranking as the only input
• ✕Not checking that the country list is current

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