Having the right passport is a jetsetter's dream - just imagine being able to breeze your way through customs in any given country, without having to bother with all that faff around visas. Let's face it, any trip is better when it comes without a mountain of forms and paperwork.
So if you're the type of mega-wealthy globetrotter who collects passports, take note. A new report has named Singapore as the country with the world's most powerful passport.
This means holders have the most countries available to them for an easy visit - which seems as good an excuse as any to load up Kayak or Expedia to plan a jolly abroad.
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Unsure why you'd want to leave, to be honest. Credit: PA
The Asian city-state was ranked top of the 2017 Global Passport Power Rank, an index produced by global advisory firm Arton Capital.
"For the first time ever, an Asian country has the most powerful passport in the world," said the managing director of Arton Capital's Singapore Office, Phillippe May.
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"It is a testament of Singapore's inclusive diplomatic relations and effective foreign policy."
The index ranks all passports by a 'visa-free score', based on the number of countries a passport holder can easily visit.
This category includes places a holder can visit without holding a visa, with a visa on arrival, or using electronic travel authorisation such as the USA's Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
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USA's ESTA. Credit: PA
Singapore topped this year's list with a visa-free score of 159, narrowly beating Germany's 158, while Sweden and South Korea's score of 157 tied them in third.
The city-state was previously tied with Germany on 158, but Paraguay's recent removal of visa requirements for Singapore passport-holders means that the country is now sitting pretty at the top.
Historically, European passports have dominated the index, with Germans lucky enough to have the world's best passports for the last two years. As well as the best football team. Don't they get tired of winning things?
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Meanwhile, the UK got a perfectly respectable score of 156, leaving it in joint fourth, while the United States and Canada are just behind with 154.
Since President Donald Trump took office in the White House, the US passport has fallen in the rankings, following a recent decision by Turkey to revoke visa-free entry for US passport-holders after a diplomatic row.
Some of the countries that Singaporean citizens can visit without a visa, but US passport-holders can't, include Brazil, China, and Cuba. I'm shocked by the last two, I tell you. SHOCKED.
The worst passport to have this year if you're looking to travel the world is from Afghanistan, with a visa-free score of 22, followed by Pakistan and Iraq on 26. Hey, at least you can give local tourism a boost.
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Words: Chris Ogden
Featured Image Credit: Singapore GovernmentTopics: World News, Business, Passport, Singapore