MANILA, Philippines — With visa-free entry to 34 countries and territories and visa-on-arrival at 41, the Philippine passport ranked 66th on the Passport Index.
The index was compiled by Arton Capital, a company that promotes the idea of "global citizenship" through second residences and citizenships.
The Philippines is tied with Mongolia and Morocco on the index, which lists the United Arab Emirates passport as the most "powerful" with visa-free entry to 122 countries and territories and visa-on-arrival in 59.
UAE passport holders can visit 91% of the world, against 39% that the Philippine passport gives its bearer access to, according to the Passport Index. Holders of Philippine passports need to apply for visas in advance in 121 countries and territories.
Tied for second place among the most powerful passports are those of Sweden, Germany, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and South Korea.
At third place are Denmark, Belgium, Portugal, Norway, Poland, United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States.
With a passport power rank of 66, the Philippines placed slightly lower than in the 2022 index, when it was at 64th.
On the separate Henley Passport Index, the Philippine passport is at 78th place with Uganda. According to that index, the Philippines has visa-free access to 67 countries and territories. The ranking, which is based on data from the International Air Transport Association, is an imporvement from 80th place in a previous index in 2022.
Henley offers services in citizenship by investment, which would allow the wealthy to acquire second or new citizenships.
Visa applications
Countries may require foreign nationals to obtain a visa, an entry document needed to ensure that one is authorized to enter the destination country in the first place. There are also different kinds of non-immigrant visas issued depending on the purpose of travel.
Visa application requirements would often include proof of employment, bank statements and other proof of financial means, a detailed itinerary of the trip including a proof of accommodation, and an interview with an officer at the embassy or consulate.
This is on top of a visa application fee that could reach thousands of pesos.