This article is a part of Poland Unpacked. Weekly intelligence for decision-makers
The strength of a passport is a measure of how freely its holder can travel around the world. It reflects the number of countries and territories that can be entered without having to apply for a visa in advance. Visas issued on arrival, for example at an airport after entering a country, are therefore not included.
Interactive chart Central and Eastern Europe catches up with the West
One measure of passport strength is the Henley Passport Index. According to the index, in 2010 Polish citizens could travel visa-free to 145 countries. Czechs had access to 143, while other EU countries in the region recorded broadly similar figures. Romania and Bulgaria lagged somewhat behind, with their citizens able to enter 136 and 133 countries respectively without a visa. Ukrainian citizens, by contrast, enjoyed visa-free access to just 64 countries.
For comparison, Germans could travel visa-free to 161 countries, a similar figure to that for citizens of France, Italy and the Netherlands. British passports were stronger still, providing visa-free access to 166 countries.
Today, Poles can travel visa-free to as many as 184 countries, putting them on a par with Hungarians and Slovenians. For Czechs, Slovaks and citizens of the Baltic states, the figure is lower by just one or two countries. Romanians and Bulgarians can now travel visa-free to 178 countries. A Ukrainian passport, meanwhile, provides access to 142.
The number of destinations open to Western European citizens has also increased. Germans can now enter 186 countries without a visa, with similar figures recorded elsewhere in Western Europe.
Countries in our part of Europe have therefore caught up with the West in terms of passport strength – an achievement also reflected in their position in the global rankings. The Polish passport is now the sixth most powerful in the world, level with Hungary’s.
Travel liberalization
Looking at how passport-strength scores have evolved, it is clear that the world has become considerably more open over the past decade and a half. The median number of countries that can now be visited without a visa is 93, up from 67 in 2010.
What has driven this change? Several factors have played a part. First, Asia’s growing importance. Many countries in the region, China in particular, have signed agreements introducing visa-free travel. Second, the United Arab Emirates has pursued an especially aggressive form of visa diplomacy, concluding large numbers of agreements to liberalize travel. The UAE passport is now the second most powerful in the world. Third, the EU has also played an important role by liberalizing entry for countries covered by the Eastern Partnership, including Ukraine and Georgia.
There has also been a kind of diplomatic “arms race”. When one country in a region signs a visa-waiver agreement, its neighbors often seek similar deals so as not to lose their appeal to tourists and business travelers. Agreements concluded by Serbia, for example, encouraged other Western Balkan countries to pursue similar arrangements.
Singapore leads the way
In 2026, Singaporeans hold the world’s most powerful passport, providing visa-free access to 192 countries. Japan, South Korea and the aforementioned United Arab Emirates share second place. Sweden has the third most powerful passport. Afghanistan has the weakest passport in the world.