The Swedish passport has been ranked the most powerful in the world, according to new research from offshore consulting firm Nomad Capitalist.
Meanwhile the UK passport's position in the rankings has improved significantly on last year. In 2019 a British passport was ranked tied 27th, whereas now it's tied 11th, just missing out on the top 10.
The Nomad Passport Index ranks 199 citizenships for a 'deeper understanding of what it means to be a citizen', in turn highlighting the best citizenships in the world.
Advert
This year's index has seen Sweden take the coveted number one spot, with Nomad Capitalist saying: "Sweden previously ranked #2 on this Index, but has climbed its way to the very top thanks to visa-free travel to 186 countries, high level of personal freedom, and an excellent global reputation."
While Luxembourg and Ireland technically came out with the same score, they took second and third place respectively after Sweden was deemed to have 'the world's best passport overall'.
"Luxembourg's small size not only grants its citizens high levels of freedom, but excellent passport perception as a country that bothers no one," Nomad Capitalist said.
Advert
"And fortunately for ex-pats living there, it recently became easier to naturalize as a citizen."
Of Ireland, it adds: "Ireland offers one of Europe's lowest corporate tax rates, yet its passport's visa scores are among the highest.
"Due to its opt-out from Europe's Schengen Area, Irish passports have slightly lower visa-free scores than mainland EU countries, however the country's excellent reputation makes traveling as an Irish citizen generally hassle-free."
Advert
Switzerland's passport came in at number four, followed by Belgium, Finland, Portugal, Singapore, the Czech Republic and Malta to complete the top 10.
Denmark, South Korea, Austria, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, New Zealand, Iceland and the Netherlands found themselves in the in the top 20.
The United States passport came in 40th place due to 'global taxation of citizens', with Afghanistan's travel document coming out as the worst overall, with access to just 26 countries.
Advert
While Japan just missed out being among the top 20, earning a spot at 21, it was considered the best passport for travelling, with access to 191 countries.
In total, eight of the top 10 passports were from within the European Union, while nine of the top 10 were from within Europe.
Featured Image Credit: PA
Topics: World News, Passport, News, Sweden