Jordan ranked 92nd on the Henley Index, which measures the strength of global passports, and 52nd for destinations that do not require a visa, according to exclusive data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), to monitor the most travel-friendly passports in the world on a regular basis since 2006.
The closure of airspace due to the Russian invasion and the opening of borders to Ukrainian refugees is beginning to affect global travel freedoms.
And while the top of the list of the world’s most powerful passports has not seen major changes, the recent conflict has brought tangible changes to the rest of the list, prepared by Henley & Partners is a global citizenship and residency advisory.
Since the outbreak of war at the end of February, many countries have either adjusted their entry policies or dropped visa requirements for Ukrainian passport holders entirely, meaning Ukraine has risen to a record high in the report.
Meanwhile, the European Union, the United States and Canada have banned all Russian operators from entering their airspace, while some destinations no longer issue visas to Russian citizens, “effectively ruling the Russian passport as undesirable in much of the developed world,” according to the report. As stated by the Henley company in a report.
Although this has not significantly affected Russia’s place on the list so far, the report notes that the situation is likely to change in the coming months.
In the Q2 2022 list, Ukraine moved up one place and is now 34th on the index and its citizens can now travel to 143 destinations without a visa.
While Russia slipped 4 places to 49th, with open travel to 117 countries, the situation is expected to worsen with the formalization of visa suspensions and sanctions.
According to the report, the recent tremor clearly indicates the “deep and perhaps irreversible impact of the war on freedom of movement.”
Japan and Singapore came in first, as their passport holders can theoretically travel to 192 destinations without a visa, but it should be noted that this does not take temporary restrictions into account.
While the Afghan passport is at the bottom of the list with the ability to enter only 26 countries without the need for a prior visa, and the passports of 5 Arab countries were among the weakest on the list.
- Defying Gravity: Jordan’s Most Adrenaline-Fueled Activities for Adventure Junkies - September 25, 2023
- Tantalize Your Taste Buds: Jordanian Cuisine Brings Warmth and Spice to the Table - September 25, 2023
- Discovering the Forgotten Jewel: Shobak Castle’s Role in Jordanian History - September 25, 2023