Passport opinions?

[Guest]

My fiance and I have a friendly disagreement over what's the best passport. He says the German passport is the best because it has the largest number of countries which can be visited without needing an advance visa. In my opinion, the number of countries is not as important as the surface area of the countries one can visit, and their populations. There's no right or wrong answer, of course, but which passport would you rather have?

Countries in dark green require no visa, in light green have e-visa or visa on arrival, blue allows living or working there without a passport, gray requires a visa in advance, and black means travel there is banned.

Germany:

 

South Korea:

 

Chile:

[Guest]

Here's the US, by comparison:

 

The icy Kingdom of Canada:

 

And the sun-kissed Kingdom of Australia:

Edited April 29, 2019 by Unicorn

[+ tassojunior]

I would always opt for an EU passport. You are guaranteed so many social welfare programs, free education, and jobs in all EU countries and their consulates work just as hard as any to protect and assist citizens in other countries.

 

You do have to get e-visas (ESTA) between "visa-waiver" countries and the US now. Just a formality.

[wearytraveller]

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2019-01-10/the-most-powerful-passports-in-the-world

[+ WilliamM]

It is relatively easy for Americans to obtain a visa, even for Russia.

[+ tassojunior]

It is relatively easy for Americans to obtain a visa, even for Russia.

 

In spite of Steven thinking i'm a Russian bot, I had a terrible time trying to get a Russian visa. I gave up. It's extremely complicated although I hear you can pay professionals to help. My trip to the Russian consulate here in DC was revealing. It was like a trip back to the 1950's; the furniture, the typewriters, the clocks, etc. I saw it and read the application and gave up. (You have to also show your hotel is paid for).

 

And because Canada has the US NCIC police records, no one who ever was convicted of a crime that is considered a felony in Canada can enter. Including any DUI, even if it was a misdemeanor in the US. Hell, that eliminates half my sexual partners. Like those boys in Campus are such angels.

Edited April 29, 2019 by tassojunior

[+ WilliamM]

In spite of Steven thinking i'm a Russian bot, I had a terrible time trying to get a Russian visa. I gave up. It's extremely complicated although I hear you can pay professionals to help. My trip to the Russian consulate here in DC was revealing. It was like a trip back to the 1950's; the furniture, the typewriters, the clocks, etc. I saw it and read the application and gave up. (You have to also show your hotel is paid for).

 

And because Canada has the US NCIC police records, no one who ever was convicted of a crime that is considered a felony in Canada can enter. Including any DUI, even if it was a misdemeanor in the US. Hell, that eliminates half my sexual partners. Like those boys in Campus are such angels.

 

If I can figure it out so can you. I asked a tour company to help, was not expensive, and I had the visa a few days later.

[+ tassojunior]

If I can figure it out so can you. I asked a tour company to help, was not expensive, and I had the visa a few days later.

 

I was quoted $200 by two visa companies. What really mattered (besides it getting cold) was that they want to hold your passport for a month while waiting. Nope, not happening. I get once-in-a-lifetime guys calling from Prague and I know the flight numbers by heart and keep a bag packed.

[Guest]

In spite of Steven thinking i'm a Russian bot, I had a terrible time trying to get a Russian visa. I gave up...

It is relatively easy for Americans to obtain a visa, even for Russia.

 

Well, it's not rocket science, but it's quite expensive. The Russians do not want Americans to get visas on their own, so one is forced to use a visa service company, and pay for a Russian company to sponsor the visa. It ended up being a good $450 to get a 3-year multiple entry business visa. I could have gotten a tourist visa for some $100 less, but this just added complications. I went twice on the visa, once on a cruise from Moscow to St. Petersburg, with some extra time in Saint Pete at a hotel. The second time, I toured the country on my own, including a 5 nights in Moscow, some train trips out of town, and a plane trip to Crimea. In leaving Russia, the immigration dude at Sheremetyevo must have been suspicious at my independent travel, because he asked me how come I spoke Russian, blah, blah, blah. I'm not eager to repeat this process. I spent good money on the trip, and don't need to be treated like a potential criminal or spy, especially when I just a friggin' physician, for chrissakes.

[+ WilliamM]

@Unicorn, I responded to another member about getting my Visa with the total total assistance of a tour company even though I went to St. Petersburg by myself. I was there during the White Nights.

[+ FrankR]

Here's the US, by comparison:

 

The icy Kingdom of Canada:

 

And the sun-kissed Kingdom of Australia:

Would you mind sharing the source of these maps? Would like to compare a few others... As to your question, if I had to choose, I would likely take your fiance’s approach. :-)

[+ FrankR]

Here's the US, by comparison:

 

The icy Kingdom of Canada:

 

And the sun-kissed Kingdom of Australia:

Would you mind sharing the source of these maps? Would like to compare a few others... As to your question, if I had to choose, I would likely take your fiance’s approach. :-)

[SirBillybob]

Passportindex.org does it by rank. UAE, Luxembourg, Finland, Germany, ... Iraq, Afghanistan.

[SirBillybob]

Passportindex.org does it by rank. UAE, Luxembourg, Finland, Germany, ... Iraq, Afghanistan.

[Guest]

Would you mind sharing the source of these maps? Would like to compare a few others... As to your question, if I had to choose, I would likely take your fiance’s approach.

In Wikipedia, just enter "Visa requirements for XXX citizens"

[Guest]

Passportindex.org does it by rank. UAE, Luxembourg, Finland, Germany, ... Iraq, Afghanistan.

Well, I don't think that the passport index tells the whole story for me. For me, it's the countries involved, including their size, importance, and scenic sites which are more important for me.

Brunei's is quite interesting, although it definitely suffers from being left out of most of Latin America, including Mexico:

Brunei is the only country whose citizens may travel without a visa to all of the permanent member countries of the UN Security Council (China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and United States). Brunei is also the only Muslim-majority country whose citizens may enter the United States without a pre-arranged visa.

 

Besides the Bruneian passport, there are only 3 other passports that provide either visa-free entry, or entry via an electronic travel authorisation, to the world's four largest economies: China (visa-free, 15 days), India (e-Visa, 60 days), the European Union (visa-free, 90 days within 180 days), and the United States (ESTA, 90 days): those of Japan, San Marino, and Singapore.

[Guest]

Passportindex.org does it by rank. UAE, Luxembourg, Finland, Germany, ... Iraq, Afghanistan.

I must say that Japan's is pretty good. It leaves out Russia, but has most other countries of interest:

[Guest]

The Emirati passport is quite neat, too, in including China, Russia, and the EU. They also have "Freedom of Movement" in the brown areas, including Saudi Arabia, which lets very few other countries in without a visa. Importantly leaves out the US, though:

[Guest]

Weird. I don't know why things are so much tougher on Bahraini citizens than on Emerati citizens. They seem to be pretty similar in terms of wealth and politics...

[alrajee]

Honestly, I'm perfectly content with the US passport, if we're talking purely about countries where its holders can visit visa-free (or visa upon arrival). Most, if not all, of the places I want to see in my lifetime are covered.

 

If we're talking about enjoying the benefits of citizenship of a different country, then that's a different discussion.

 

Semi-related sidebar: One of my former coworkers originally came from Nepal. He would often tell me of visiting relatives from back home, and how laborious and expensive the process was to get a tourist visa to the United States. With Europe, it's the same thing. Those wanting to visit the Schengen territory have to present a full itinerary, flights and hotels above all, and proof of income. I am certainly happy to not have to go through all of that.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Visas are easy... They just take money and some patience.

 

The trick is to USE THE HELL out of that passport once you get it. Stamp it up, get another

[KeepItReal]

Honestly, I'm perfectly content with the US passport, if we're talking purely about countries where its holders can visit visa-free (or visa upon arrival). Most, if not all, of the places I want to see in my lifetime are covered.

 

If we're talking about enjoying the benefits of citizenship of a different country, then that's a different discussion.

 

Semi-related sidebar: One of my former coworkers originally came from Nepal. He would often tell me of visiting relatives from back home, and how laborious and expensive the process was to get a tourist visa to the United States. With Europe, it's the same thing. Those wanting to visit the Schengen territory have to present a full itinerary, flights and hotels above all, and proof of income. I am certainly happy to not have to go through all of that.

Also proof of health insurance! Schengen is a pain for those that need a visa...

[alrajee]

Also proof of health insurance! Schengen is a pain for those that need a visa...

Forgot about that!

 

I was reading up on the visa requirements for US passport holders to travel to the territory starting in 2021. It hardly compares to what my coworker's relatives have been doing for years.