Revealed: The World’s Worst Passports For Travel

Which citizens have the least freedom of travel and face maximum visa restrictions?

October 1, 2013

It can be frustrating to plan a dreamy overseas vacation, only to face the daunting task of getting an entry visa, or worse, be denied one.

However, most countries impose visa restrictions on overseas visitors, according to the 2013 Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index – a global ranking of countries based on the freedom of travel for their citizens.

“Visa restrictions are an important tool for governments to control the movement of foreign nationals across borders,” Henley & Partners said. “Visas are a standard requirement for most countries as certain non-nationals wish to enter their territory.

“Visa requirements are also an indication of the relationship between individual nations and the status of a country within the international community of nations,” it added.

Finland, Sweden and the UK topped the index this year, with a score of 173 – indicating the number of countries and territories their nationals can visit without a visa.

Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg and the US followed closely with a score of 172 on the index.

The global ranking, produced in collaboration with IATA, includes 219 destinations in total.

Here are the nations that are lumbered with the greatest travel restrictions in the world.

Afghanistan

Rank: 93

Score (countries and territories citizens can visit without a visa): 28

Rank in 2012: 103

Population: Approx 31 million

Iraq

Rank: 92

Score (countries and territories citizens can visit without a visa): 31

Rank in 2012: 101

Population: Approx 31.8 million