How to get one of the most powerful passports in the world: it is a very difficult process

Some of the most secure passports in the world are very hard to come by. Forbes talks about their ranking and how you can get the best one.

The three most powerful passports in the world, according to the Henley Passport Index, are from countries where it is very difficult to obtain citizenship. These of the passport some of the most coveted due to the ease of travel and seamless access they provide owners to nearly 200 destinations around the world.

The Passport Index annually ranks global travel documents according to the number of destinations their holders can travel to without the need for a visa. According to the latest data, Singapore's passport is the most powerful in the world.

Rating overview

Singapore citizens have access to 195 tourist destinations (the most of any other country) and 169 more than the weakest passport in the world (Afghanistan).

On the subject: How to Prepare for the Citizenship Test: Helpful Resources in New York

According to Global Immigration Services, five countries have the second most valuable passports, including Japan. It is one of the most difficult countries to obtain citizenship in.

Prospective citizens must live in Japan for five years before being eligible to apply for a passport. They must pass a Japanese language test. Those interested must prove that they can earn a living in the country. Potential citizens are forced to renounce any previous citizenship. The process of obtaining a passport can take months or years.

Seven countries ranked as the third most important passport in the world, and two of them were among the most difficult to obtain - Austria and Finland.

Austria requires a decade of continuous residence or five years of marriage to an Austrian, a language test and renunciation of previous citizenship before being considered for naturalization. People can apply for a passport through the investment program. It allows those who have made significant economic investments in the country to apply.

In Finland, this process sometimes takes years after the requirements are met. These include knowledge of Finnish or Swedish, five years of permanent residence, a clean tax history and proof of financial stability.

The most influential passports of the ranking

1. Singapore.
2. Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Spain.
3. Finland, Sweden, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, South Korea, Austria, Ireland.
4. Great Britain, Denmark, Belgium, Norway, New Zealand, Switzerland.
5. Portugal, Australia.

Amazing facts

The United States has dropped from the world's most powerful passport to eighth place. This is the largest drop among the countries in the top ten. The US offers visa-free access to 186 destinations.

Afghanistan's passport is considered the weakest in the world. Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Pakistan were in the same lowest-ranking group. All of them provide visa-free access to only 26 countries.