Which European passports are the strongest for visa-free travel?

Travel can be stressful enough at the best of times, without having to add visa applications to the mix. Wrestling with lengthy paperwork and additional fees on top of air and hotel fares – who needs that hassle? That’s where visa-free travel helps ease that burden.

A study by Passport Reports has surveyed passport strength by country and how many destinations travellers can go to visa-free, with an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) or by obtaining a visa on arrival. The ranking also measured the number of destinations a passport holder needs to obtain a visa prior to entry.

In the latest ranking, two European countries feature in the top five, after the UAE and Singapore, which take first and second place respectively, while Malaysia is fourth.

Ranked as the strongest European passport for visa-free travel, and third overall, Spain was given a mobility score of 174. Spanish travellers have access to 121 countries visa-free and a further 42 can be visited with a visa on arrival. However, an ETA is needed in 11 countries and holders also require a visa to enter 24.

Meanwhile, Luxembourg scored 173 for mobility. In fifth place globally, passport holders can travel to 122 destinations visa-free and a further 41 countries are accessible via visa on arrival. An ETA is needed to visit 10 countries and a visa is required in 25.

Belgium and France rank equal sixth, with each scoring 173 for mobility. Their passport holders can access 121 countries visa-free and 41 with a visa on arrival. While an ETA is needed to 11 countries and visas required to 25.

Also scoring 173 for mobility, six European countries share seventh place: Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Sweden. Passport holders from these six nations can travel to 120 destinations visa-free, 42 with a visa on arrival, ETA for 11, and visas required for 25.