India ranks 48th in World’s Most Powerful Passports

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India ranks 48 in the list of the top 50 most powerful passports in the world, according to a global survey. Sweden has topped this list of the world’s most powerful passports in the world, followed by Finland and Germany. The study conducted by Germany-based GoEuro travel comparison website ranked passports based on the number of countries you can visit without a prior visa. It also took into consideration cost of application and number of hours worked to obtain the document.

Despite India having introduced a visa-on-arrival plan for 150 countries, Indian citizens still face visa restrictions across the world. Currently, Indian travellers enjoy visa-free admission to 52 countries. On the other hand, citizens of the top 5 countries listed in this study enjoy visa-free access across 174 nations. The countries following India in this list of the world’s most powerful passports are Iraq and Afghanistan. The UK was ranked number 4, while the US took the 5^th position. “Passports are the ultimate ‘don’t leave home without it’ item, but the nationality on one’s passport can have a major effect on travel plans and time abroad,” GoEuro said in a statement.

Countries Indian citizens can visit without a visa

Notwithstanding the visa restrictions, there are some gorgeous destinations Indian citizens can still visit visa-free. Some of them are listed below:

Bhutan
British Virgin Islands
Hong Kong
Jamaica
Nepal
Seychelles

What makes for a powerful and attractive passport?

Besides the number of countries one can visit without a visa and the cost of a passport, the way a passport is designed also contributes to the impact of a passport. Here are some countries that clearly put a lot of thought and effort into the making of their passports:

Canada: The Canadian passport has graphics that are only visible under a blacklight. This makes the passport more attractive and also helps to validate the authenticity of the passport.
Finland: The Finnish passport is a flip book featuring a walking moose.
Malaysia: Malaysia was the first country in the world to issue its citizens biometric passports.

What should India have ranked in the list of the world’s most powerful passports according to you? Leave your thoughts in the comments section!

Sources: http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-04-22/news/61417314_1_indian-passport-visa-free-entry-countries

http://www.cntraveller.in/story/world-s-51-most-powerful-passports-revealed-india-4th-bottom