The Least Powerful Passports
When it comes to global mobility, a powerful passport is key. A stronger passport allows visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to more countries – but the right passport can enhance your quality of life, provide you with more and profitable business opportunities, and set your life in a more secure, stable country for you and your family. Some are achievable through means of investment – but even countries with weaker passports have these programs. In this article, we will explore the least powerful passports in the world, including those that are obtainable through Citizenship by Investment programs – so that you, as an investor, are not caught off-guard and can understand why you ought to avoid them. Generally, none of these passports should be in anyone’s interest.
The Worst Passport Power Rank 2024
Rank: 101
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Rank: 100
Rank: 99
Rank: 98
Rank: 97
Rank: 96
Rank: 95
According to the Global Passport Index, a real-time tool created by Arton Capital, which ranks passports according to how many countries its holders can enter without a visa, here are the worst passports as of the time of the writing of this article.
Syria - #101st
Syria currently has the worst passport in the world, a result from the events unfolding in the country and strained foreign relations. Its holders can only enter 9 countries visa-free. 30 countries will grant visa-on-arrival to Syrian passport holders, but a staggering 159 countries will demand a visa from Syrian nationals.
Afghanistan – #100th
Afghanistan has always been at the bottom of the least powerful passports, fluctuating between the last spots. Even though the Afghani passport allows entry to only 7 countries, it is barely better than Syria’s, since 33 countries grant visa-on-arrival, and 158 countries require a visa from its holders. Political instability, ongoing conflicts, and poor international relations severely restrict Afghan citizens’ global mobility.
Iraq – #99th
The Iraqi passport should not be the aim of any investor, since its holders face significant challenges when it comes to international travel. Slightly better than Syria and Afghanistan, but still one of the worst passports, Iraqi nationals can travel to only 12 countries without a visa. 31 countries will grant visa-on-arrival, and 155 countries will demand a visa.
Somalia & Pakistan – #98th
Sharing the 98th position out of 101 rankings in the Global Passport Index, Somalia and Pakistan’s passports are equally bad when compared to each other. Having either passport only grants access to 13 countries worldwide visa-free; 33 countries grant visa-on-arrival, and 152 require a visa from their nationals.
Yemen – 97th
Yemen, so far, holds the better passport when in comparison to the previous, which is hardly a reason for investors to desire it. Among many reasons, which include political instability, humanitarian crises, and ongoing regional conflicts contribute for the Yemeni passport to only allow entry to 15 countries worldwide, and for 35 countries to grant its holders visa-on-arrival, and for 148 countries to demand a visa.
Unattractive Citizenship by Investment Programs
Regardless of the previous’ countries having weak passports, the idea of obtaining a second citizenship should still be appealing and enticing, especially if it comes from a country with a powerful passport. This is where Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs come up – official platforms that grant investors a passport at the end of the process.
While countries like Saint Kitts and Nevis and Türkiye have reputable programs, known worldwide for their timeliness and effectiveness, not all CBI are a sound choice. Some are plagued by inefficiencies, lack of transparency, or come from countries with a weaker and less than desirable passport.
Bangladesh
There are multiple reasons why Bangladesh should not be an investor’s destination. Firstly, the country’s passport only ranks one position higher than Yemen’s, and while it did not make our list of the worst passports, it is still a considerably weak passport, and it should not be a pursuable venture in any sense. Bangladeshi passport holders are only able to enter 20 countries visa-free, with 29 countries granting visa-on-arrival, and 149 countries requesting a visa.
Furthermore, there is an apparent lack of structure around the program. There seems to be no accurate and complete listing of all the application requirements, with most of them being unclear and open-to-interpretation. For instance, what is the correct investment amount? Multiple sources claim that it is anywhere from USD $500,000, USD $1 million, to USD $5 million.
And what is the investment avenue? – there is no consensus on the matter as to what qualifies, with some sources claiming that a bank deposit is enough, while others refer that the capital must be invested in a commercial or industrial project. Plus, in order to apply for the Bangladeshi passport, you would have to give up your original citizenship, as the country does not allow Dual Citizenship.
Pakistan
Despite having one of the worst passports in the world, Pakistan still has a Citizenship by Investment program. It is negligibly better than Bangladesh’s, if only because the conditions to access it are made clearer. According to the Pakistani Directorate General of Immigration & Passports, an investment of PKR 5 million (around USD $18,000) in the Bank of Pakistan is required.
Even though it is, perhaps, the most affordable Citizenship by Investment program, Pakistan, for its poor global mobility, is not a viable option for a second passport. Furthermore, Pakistan only allows Dual Citizenship with 22 other countries, meaning there is a high chance you would have to give up your original citizenship to acquire the weak Pakistani passport.
Cambodia
Since it is not as heavily promoted nor as formalized as other CBIs in the world, Cambodia’s program is not typically making any headlines, and with good reason. For any investor striving to reach a higher global mobility and setting up residency in a tax-friendly country, Cambodian citizenship is not a viable solution. With a weak passport, having Cambodian nationality only lets you visa-free travel to 26 countries. 42 countries grant visas-on-arrival, while 130 will demand a visa before letting you enter their territory.
In fact, having a Cambodian passport truly only distinguishes itself for having a single benefit: letting you purchase land in Cambodia. With no other sizeable advantage, the Cambodian program’s options are rather limited, only allowing either a government donation of USD $245,000, plus fees, or USD $305,000 into a government-approved project. Furthermore, the application process is not transparent, and much of it depends on the discretion of government officials.
Egypt
Of all the programs presented so far, Egypt comes out as the best - which is not saying much, at least in comparison with stronger passports from countries in the Caribbean or in Europe. Launched in 2020, the Egyptian Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program is relatively new, especially when you compare it with other programs that have been established for 40 years.
The program also has extensive options, possibly creating some confusion among prospective investors, though improvements have been made to make the program more appealing. Currently, the program has 4 options: a real estate purchase of USD $300,000; setting up an investment project of at least USD $350,000 over 5 years; setting up a bank deposit of USD $500,000 over 3 years, or a donation option of USD $250,000.
Global mobility-wise, the Egyptian passport only enables visa-free entry to only 22 countries. 44 countries will grant visa-on-arrival, and 132 will require a visa from Egyptian passport holders. Egypt is also known for having faced political and economic turmoil in recent years, casting doubts on its stability and reliability as a Plan B country.
Jordan
Running a program older than Egypt’s only by a year, Jordan’s Citizenship by Investment program still has to evolve and go through some growing pains before it can compete on a global scale with other CBIs.
Occupying the same ranking as Egypt, Jordan comes in the 82nd place out of 101. It is marginally better than the Egyptian passport, since it allows visa-free to only 4 more countries. Regardless, 132 countries still require a visa from Jordanian nationals.
However, the true drawback comes from the considerable amounts of investment capital the country requires from prospective investors. In order to become a Jordanian national, an investor must be willing to inject from USD $750,000 to $1,5 million in the country’s economy, depending on the options, which vary from treasury bonds to shares in Jordanian companies, to investment projects. Real Estate does not configure as an investment option. Adding this to its weak passport power, the region’s overall economic and political instability, Jordan does not come across as an attractive CBI option.
Invest in the Right Passport with Investment Visa
Moving abroad has never been easier, thanks to our modern and interconnected world, but at the same time, it also brings a whole new level of bureaucratic challenges. Investing in a passport is a weighty decision that can greatly impact your life and one that should not be made lightly. Navigating uncharted waters, especially when in a country with a different language than your own, requires a little bit of help. And that is what Investment Visa does.
We help you achieve your dream of moving abroad and starting your life anew. Every country we work with has strong, stable passports, and you can rest assured that our investment advisory team know the ins and outs of all the programs.
Unlike the CBIs and countries in this article, we focus on options that provide visa-free travel, stable political environments and economic opportunities, in countries like Malta, Türkiye, and the Caribbean Five (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia). We match you, the investor, to the best country, according to your needs – even if we have to go through the Residency route first with programs like the Portugal Golden Visa or the Greece Golden Visa.
Avoid the pitfalls of investing in weak passports and subpar investment programs by partnering with experts who have your best interests at heart and can get you a stronger passport that unlocks the world. Your brighter future awaits with Investment Visa.
Read more:
The Most Powerful Passports in the World in 2024
Why Getting a Second Passport Is the Perfect Plan B
How a Second Passport Can Help Your Business
EU Citizenship by Investment: How to Get the European Passport
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