The Reality of the Passport Index 

The passport index shows a lot, it shows the highs and the lows of every country. This might make anyone wonder whether their passport is eligible or not? If it matters on the international form or if it doesn’t matter at all. 

The passports that are ranked the worst on the passport index include Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Palestine, Libya, Pakistan, North Korea, Nepal, Somalia, Syria, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Kosovo. 

The weakest passports in 2023

Ranking the following countries as the weakest passports, makes it a disadvantage for the citizens of the nations while the one that is actually at fault is the government of the respective country. It is solely the government’s duty to curate and formulate policies and effective legislative systems that practise those policies to ensure a secure future for the citizens. Previous articles have clearly highlighted the importance and significance of a stable political system; a political system ensures the sovereignty of each country. All the countries mentioned above have almost no reputation on the international forum and other governments seemed to find it discomforting to allow citizens from the aforementioned countries within their borders. 

Visas are limited which makes options limited too for all those who hold the specific passports. One must understand that many of these countries are war torn, have severe humanitarian violations, terrorist links, political crises, and unstable economies. All these factors add up and combine to rank them the worst which is also why other countries are hesitant about opening up their borders to them, limiting opportunities and so forth. 

 Why Are These Passports Ranked the Worst? 

• Afghanistan 

The Afghani passport is ranked on top of the worst passports list. The country has been engulfed with social issues, political issues, terrorist links, and civil unrest has added fuel to the fire. The ongoing terrorism issues have limited Afghanistan’s diplomatic ties with other nations over the world, diminishing its international standing. This limits citizens from moving anywhere except for only a handful of destinations which include Macao, Palau, Tuvalu, Haiti and Maldives. 

• Iraq

The primary reason for Iraq’s worst ranking is the growing terrorism and it worsened during the regime of Saddam Hussein. The country’s violence rate has not decreased and has further led to political instability, social issues, and poverty which have discredited the passport worldwide. The travel is very limited as there are only 42 destinations that offer visas to Iraqi passport holders. 

• Syria 

Armed conflict and terrorism have been an issue in Syria for a while now, and it has not seemed to reach an end. The situation keeps on worsening, making it even more critical for its citizens to live. However, over the last few years, some European countries have eased their restrictions on the Syrian passport and are offering limited visas. 

• Pakistan

Pakistan has been long known for having terrorist links and for funding Afghani terrorist groups which is why very limited countries are willing to open up their borders and offer a visa to Pakistani nationals. 

• Yemen 

Everyone is well aware of the war in Yemen which has rocked the Arab world, and relations amongst the Middle Eastern countries are in a very vulnerable position. Since Yemen was officially declared a war zone, it automatically devalued the Yemeni passport. 

• Somalia 

Somalia has several issues and most of them cover violation of human rights which includes kidnapping and human trafficking. These happen to be some of the worst issues which have limited visas. 

• Palestinian Territories 

The conflict between Israel and Palestine has led to several terrorist attacks, instability and political issues. Palestine has still not been recognised as an independent country by Israeli allies which has put the country in a chokehold and a difficult position. Countries have limited visa access to Palestine. 

• Nepal 

The reason why the Nepali passport has been ranked the worst is mainly because citizens have overused the privilege of temporary visas of other countries by hiding out and living illegally. 

• North Korea

North Korea is the one country that already does not allow its citizens to leave the country so the passport is rarely issued. North Korea has been known as an aggressor state with the most strict policies and lack of transparency, the international world does not consider it very democratic. Travelling for North Koreans requires permission from their supreme leaders and that permission is also only granted if it’s for work purposes. 

• Libya 

The Libyan passport is ranked the worst due to political instability and security concerns. However, there are a few European and American countries that allow some visa leverage to Libyan citizens. 

Hopefully, this has cleared up what are the reasons for the devaluation of a country’s passport. And through all of these, it was noted that governmental factors are a major contributor.