ArmInfo. The Swiss company Henley & Partners has compiled a ranking of countries with the most powerful passports. Armenia, as noted in the document, occupied the 84th line in the third quarter of 2019, establishing a visa-free regime with 60 countries of the world.
As noted in the company's report, in the previous quarter, the indicator was higher - 78th place and 62 countries with visa-free visits. "In recent months, Djibouti and Benin have changed their visa policy, and now Armenian citizens should receive an electronic visa instead of a visa upon arrival," the rating authors note. The document also notes some progress recorded over the past 10 years. So, in 2009, Armenians could visit only 46 countries of the world without a visa, 5 years ago - 55 countries. The updated <Passport Index> published on July 2 by Henley & Partners reflects the changes in the visa- free regime of the countries of the world for the third quarter of 2019. In the list compiled by Henley & Partners, on the first line is Japan and Singapore, whose passports allow you to visit 189 countries of the world without a visa. South Korea, which was also on the first line three months ago, lost two positions and now ranks second along with Germany and Finland (187 countries). The top three are Denmark, Italy and Luxembourg (186 countries). Changes in the visa policy of Djibouti and Benin also influenced Russia's position in the Index. In the third quarter, Russians can visit two countries less for a visa - 116. Kazakhstan in the third quarter of 2019 took 69th place, dividing it with the Republic of Belarus. Currently, citizens of Kazakhstan can visit 75 countries without a visa. Turkish citizens can still visit 110 countries without a visa. European countries that have programs for obtaining citizenship through investment, occupy high positions. Malta, whose citizenship investors can obtain in a year if investments of 1 million euros, continues to rise in the rankings, and now occupies the 7th place in the world (182 countries without a visa), just one line behind the United States and the United Kingdom.
Cyprus shares the 16th line with Poland (172 countries). Afghanistan is in the last 109th Index with a visa- free access to 25 countries.
The Henley & Partners Passport Index (Henley Passport Index) is an international ranking of countries in terms of freedom of movement that they provide to their citizens. It is considered the first in the history of the international rating of countries on the freedom of movement of citizens, reflecting international relations and the status of states on the world stage. Since 2018, the Passport Index is updated several times a year in order to promptly inform about changes in the visa-free regime of countries.