These are the most powerful passports in the world with which to travel without a visa: the ranking updated to 2026 sees Italy off the podium

Traveling without the hassle and bureaucracy of visa applications is a fundamental privilege for citizens of many nations. For this reason, the independent platform Passport Reports has published the updated ranking for 2026 of the most powerful passports in the world, analyzing the strength of the documents of 199 countries based on the destinations that can be reached without a visa, with an electronic travel authorization or with a visa on arrival. The ranking introduces the concept of Mobility Score, a score that adds visa-free access, simplified methods and electronic authorizations such as the ETA. With equal scores, the system favors the number of destinations totally free from prior bureaucratic constraints.

The triumph of the United Arab Emirates and the global podium

The podium of the ranking is headed by the passport of the United Arab Emirates, which wins the world gold medal with an exceptional mobility score of 182, guaranteeing access to 91.9% of the planet. In detail, Emirati citizens can count on 128 totally visa-free destinations, 44 accessible with visa on arrival and 10 protected by electronic authorization.

In second place goes Singapore, while the lowest step of the podium goes to Spain, which confirms itself as the strongest European passport ever with a score of 174, offering free access to 121 countries. Malaysia takes fourth position, while Luxembourg stands in fifth place with a score of 173.

Europe’s performance and Italy’s position

Europe confirms itself as a continent with extremely powerful identity documents, occupying most of the top positions in the international ranking. Immediately behind the leading group, Belgium and France share sixth position with a Mobility Score of 173. Italy takes seventh place in the world, included in a group of six European nations that boast the same score of 173. Those traveling with an Italian passport can freely enter 120 destinations without any prior authorization, add another 42 destinations thanks to the visa on arrival and take advantage of the ETA for 11 countries, while only 25 destinations require a traditional bureaucratic procedure before the departure.

The chasm of the ranking and the geopolitical rift

At the other end of the scale, the situation outlined by Passport Reports highlights a profound global disparity. In last place is Afghanistan, preceded in the lower part of the ranking by Syria, Yemen, South Sudan and Somalia. The gap between the Swedish and Afghan documents has exceeded 70 points, steadily widening every year from 2021 to today. This gap is not a passing anomaly, but the tangible sign of a deep geopolitical rift that relegates the citizens of these states to the margins of international mobility.

The ranking of the strongest passports of 2026