South Korea shares the top spot with Singapore for the first time in the latest ranking of "the world's strongest passports," according to New Zealand website stuff.co.nz. Australia leads New Zealand in seventh place.
Arton Capital, a consulting firm, released the 2018 Global Passport strength ranking, (Global Passport Power Rank 2018, on the Passport Index (Passport Index) website. The list is ranked according to the passport points of each country and region. For visa-free or visa-on-arrival (visa-free) passport holders in a country or territory, e-Travel Certification (electronic travel authorisation) is one point.
Singapore and South Korea scored the highest 162 points, allowing passport holders from both countries to enter 162 countries and territories with visa-free or visa-on-arrival (visa on arrival). Last July, Singapore became the first Asian country to top the list. Now, thanks to Uzbekistan's opening of a visa-free package to South Korea, South Korea has jumped two places to win the crown for the first time with Singapore.
German and Japanese passports are next to each other, with 161 points in second place, allowing 161-nation visa-free, visa-on-arrival and electronic travel permit treatment.
Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Italy, France and Spain tied for third, with 160 countries opening visa-free, visa-on-arrival or electronic travel permits.
Britain ranked fourth with 159 visa-free countries, tied with Luxembourg, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Portugal. The United States ranked No. 5, 158 visa-free, comparable to Switzerland, Ireland and Canada.
Top 10 of the 2018 Global Passport strength list. (source: passport Index website)