PHOTO: FILE
When looking to travel abroad, your primary travel document -- the passport -- can sometimes help you narrow your choices given which countries are easily accessible to you, or hidden behind a visa requirement. If, per chance, you have a Pakistani passport, you are in for filling visa forms for most destinations around the world given how the green passport ranks as the third worst passport for travel freedom.
Henley & Partners, a company that assists wealthy clients with residence and citizenship planning and the company behind the Visa Restrictions Index, has ranked countries according to the number of other countries their citizens can travel to without having to obtain a visa.
Pakistan shares the spot with Somalia, with citizens of both countries enjoying visa-free access to only 32 destinations around the world. Only citizens of Iraq (31) and Afghanistan (28) are worse off.
Ranked number one, citizens of Finland, Germany, Sweden, the US and the UK, all have visa-free access to 174 destinations across the globe, followed by Canada and Denmark in second spot with visa-free access to 173 countries.
“Visa requirements are … an expression of the relationships between individual nations,” the company’s websites notes, and, “generally reflect the relations and status of a country within the international community of nations.”
There are 219 countries or territories on the list ranked into 94 positions, with countries often sharing positions. The maximum attainable score is 218.
The index is produced in cooperation with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains the world’s largest database of travel information.
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COMMENTS (70)
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@Ubair: Man, you must suck the most then if you let those people put a definition on your life even the country itself, Pakistan, is fine, its the people that suck. Then again, what do you expect from a country that are too smart to even wear a helmet? It is our people that litter, ruin buses/planes/trains, it's our people that don't deserve to be treated nicely because they are nothing more than a bunch of lying thieving cheats bent up on scamming you on the first chance they get.
Before blaming anyone or anything else, take a long, deep and hard look at yourself, and what sort kinds you.
Thats a reality........Politician sucks and foreign policy makers also
@A: Bhai I spoke about Pakistan as a country and not the Muslims which does not have any thing of their own.The examples I gave you of language, music and culture etc are the facts.Why shy away from facts?You are trying to be the descendants of Arabs and they don't want to know you and not only that Pakistanis are not allowed to marry ony one in Soudi Arabia. If you read your history you will find the vast majority of Pakistanis today were converted from Hindus not all that long ago?As for as Sikhs are concerned please think again.They hate Muslims more than any one else.I am also half a Sikh.
we need to improve our attitude, behavior and we need to control our negative activities. Don't blame someone else.
@Yash: LOL. You INDIANs took our ethnicity who has the bigger Punjab. We do. You guys take all our songs including Bulle Shah. Waris Shah. Good Lord half the Sikhism religion is made up by what the Muslim sufis had said. So please dont give us the b.s may be yoy should come to Pakistan before talking crap like that. There will be languages that you won't even understand. Aye barey Indian moun utha k Pakistan ko downgrade karney waley.
@Runal: Majority of you who're talking crap need to realize that isn't ARABIC it's URDU. Get some research done before yiu do anything else. Yiu wouldn't know how Pakistan is regardless. PAKISTAN has people from every religion including JUDAISM. The mass media is covering your brains which is not your fault. P.s why don't the other countries put their religion aside. I don't see no one doing that. PAKISTAN is an Islamic country and Allah will protect it. Talk all the crap you morons who have no sense of what you're speaking as much as you want.
@Ilyas: That's Urdu. Genious.
@Khan: Are you frigin stupid ? It's Afghani terrorists who're creating such catastrophic environment in Pakistan. Don't ever compare Pakistan to that garbage of a country.
I had a hellish experience In the brotherly country of Morocco where I was questioned for several hours at the airport even though I had a visa and everything was in perfect order.
@MN Alvi: I do get and understand what you have written in your comment but please improve your English.No offence.
@Ilyas: The same reason we have English and French on the passports. Apart from that, the largest part of our travellers go to Arabian nations owing to many reasons one of which is also their close proximity to the homeland with good opportunities and a friendlier culture to ours as compared to those of far away places. Since many Pakistanis have faced issues in those countries due to language barrier (arabs don't work well with english) it simply makes it easier for Pakistani traveld and the Arab officials to get things processed perhaps...... not everything is abput culture, some are for convinience... What purpose would Sindhi, Punjabi, Saraiki, Pushto, Balochi, Or any other of regional tongues serve when even a large population of the very country it belongs to doesn't understand it besides the people of the specific region? ...
@Rex Major:
If he's so wise then maybe he should explain how the USA went from 50 to 54 States without telling the rest of the World?
Everybody listen to @Kamal. I sense great wisdom in him.
Rex Major@Pakistani: Unfortunately, most of the things out people get around to doing abroad has very little to do with the politicians and more to do with the nature of our people itself. (Lie, cheat, get rich quick schemes) rarely will you see a Pakistani student that actually studies, rarely will you see a Pakistani that follows the law for what it is. That is the reason we rank this low, politicians don't define you as a country, you the people do.
@GR@usman786 And u don't know?somehow u r child of that illiterate INDIAN.And before 1947 Ur father or great grand father was a Indian,so u r saying this about ur great grand father??? I want to say only one thing just go and brush up ur knowledge that's all.Then comment here.
@truthbetold: Unfortunately Pakistan does not have any thing of there own ie Religion, Music,Culture,Language are a few examples. Funny enough 70% of Pakistanis are Punjabi speaking but they can't write in Punjabi.
This is the GIFT from civilized world to PAKISTAN for PARTICIPATING IN WAR OF TERROR & SCARIFICATION OF PEOPLE OF PAKISTAN.
Hold on, are we #3 from the bottom of the list but share that rank with #2? Doesn't that mean we're #2? What if the other country also considers itself #3 because they also share the rank? Is this an attempt to make ourselves feel better about ourselves?
-Pakistanis must stop pretending that they are ARAB everyone must be given free DNA test for the proof. - Pakistan must separate its government from the Religion -. Change all Arabic logos and symbols like swords, guns, blood etc from government documents. - Establish Pakistan Identity and stop pretending step children of Arabs. - List item
@Karachiwala:
"Beside the English, the statement is correct i guess? I mean they really are illiterate?"
Besides the English...yes, I'm an illiterate.
@wb Beside the English, the statement is correct i guess? I mean they really are illiterate?
@Lahore wala:
"Looks like the the hindutva trolls are here. You need to improve your English."
"We understand Indians are illiterate but learn proper English"
Hindutva should start with a capital letter. The word 'the' should not be repeated. And always end a sentence with a period.
@wb: Looks like the the hindutva trolls are here. You need to improve your English. We understand Indians are illiterate but learn proper English
The geo-strategic dividend in reverse!
Any country's visa acceptance directly depends on its security, economic and population conditions! we have all going in wrong directions since last two decades and we are getting the results of gross mismanagement of successive governments. These will only change when we turned around Pakistan economy and other indicators, visas and passports are secondary issues! who will need passports and visas when people cant afford to travel?
I am proud to be Pakistani.But the same time I feel shame.when every country is disrespecting pakistani or Pakistani passport.Because some stupid elements projecting image of 10th largest population of the world. We have educated doctors, scientist, reformers enineers technician and so many other talents working around the world.Partcipating to contribute host country success. even muslim brothers countries are looking to us doubtful nation. Foreign office, Embassy staff and Political leaders they don't care about image building process of Pakistan. We are recognized every part of the world smart trick for cheating. How you can hope your visa free entry to any country. If we want to safe future of next generation first everybody need to work to build the image as individual and collective efforts.you can not live without good relation at home and other countries.
@Kamal: that's why we are down there.. because we are so good in rationalizing and bullshitting of our short comings... grapes are sour they day....
@javed Iqbal: atleast we have country bcz of Zia @Syed Irfan Haider: yes you can come to Uganda only if FIA allows.
@Dinesh Hindu: This is Urdu not Arabic.
@Kamal: 54 states in the USA? You do need to travel or at least check the atlas. :-)
The policy of strategic depth brought Pakistan to this. & there's no indications whatsoever that Pakistan is going to Change its course in the times to come.
U.S.,U.K,Germeny have powers so their natives are free to roam in the world. This indicates there is no true democracy in the world.
@Ilyas: U belongs hindus not arebics, you should have sanskrit or hindi on your passport,
Belive me it will increase your travel chances in many contries.
In 70s Any Pakistani can travel in 90 countries without having to obtain a visa. Now we improve our status after 40 years by reducing these numbers to just 30. Thanks to Afghan Jihad a brain-child of Zia-ul-Haq & our fanatic religious mindset which make us alone in the world.
This is result of giving the shelter to 30 millions afghans during the afghan war..they never went backto Afghanistan, instead obtained Pakistani passport involved in drug smuggling, humen trafficking, weapons trading and many more and this has contributed heavily in destroying the reputation of green Passport..
Let's see what convoluted logic some will use to blame Modi for this.
To apply for a Pakistani passport you need to fill out a form declaring ahmadis non Muslim - this is the only passport in the the world where you have to do that. Civilised countries laugh at our practices. The 2 individuals that bought this into law ie Zia and Bhutto are not laughing , instead they both ended up with same fate
I am the first guy to note that in this picture our old pakistani passport is shown .Why they did not show our new passport which is biometric.I know it is just a picture but why they used the picture of the passport which is no more used?
@Ilyas:
"Any reason why we have Arabic on our passport ?"
Because, Pakistanis are Arabs, at least they think they are Arabs.
The No.1 position is in reach. Try to reach it next year !!
Time is near when even Pakistanis will not get free re-entry back into Pakistan as the green Pak passport will be bad news for Pakistanis coming back to Pakistan, leave aside going to some other country.. Please VOTE and get this DEMOCRACY imposed on us, make us more CORRUPT and DISHONEST.
@Khan: are u stupid
Pakistanis love to HUG the headlines for all the wrong purposes. What an uphill task we have to righten our thinking. Salams
@Muhammad: What about Uganda, Do they grant Pakistani Passport visa on arrival ?
@Kamal: Not sure if you are being sarcastic here! But seriously hope that's truly not your rationale.... In an increasingly globalised world, where most companies need to expand beyond national boundaries to survive or compete, where international exposure is more and more a recognition of competitive edge at an individual level..... You are not seriously suggesting that it's ok to not be able to travel outside your own borders?
I would love to go to Madagascar.
I am a cup half full kind of guy. Be happy that Pakistan is not at the bottom of the pile.
Dammit, beaten to first place again. Although, to be fair, Iraq and Afghanistan have an excuse, being war torn countries, Pakistan has no excuse, therefor its rightly # 1. Why doesn't the world every recognize??
@Pakistani: Why only blame the politicians...?? they are there because of us...!! it's because of the entire country today this pathetic situation we are in...!! instead of changing the politician if our country change the mindset then things will fall in line or else we will blame external source for every issue we are facing in our country...!! by the way I am so surprised to see Israel passport has access to 147 nations without visa application and the land of pure only has access to 32...!! we need serious introspection...!!
Rip off from Gulf news article posted a couple of days ago.
Any reason why we have Arabic on our passport ? Are we that ashamed and embarrassed of our culture and language that we failed to showcase the other provincial languages ? Come on Pakistan, where it the pride ??!!
That's not too bad. With the string of bad news emanating from Pakistan all the time, one would not be surprised if Pakistan were to be at the bottom of the pile. Number 3 is certainly commendable and speaks volumes for the resilience of Pakistani diplomacy.
After participating in this so called 'War on Terror' shouldn't our honor and dignity reaching starts by now?... Our foreign policy is very bad. We should have been neutral.
How can the Government of India be silent on this issue?
How can we allow Pakistan to have visa on arrival to Nepal?
Let's be honest and realistic.
Nepal has been a transit route for terrorists who are infiltrating India for several years now. Nepal has also been a route through which counterfeit currency is pumped into our country by some Pakistani elements whose name if I mentioned my comment would be barred.
Given this, how can we remain silent while Nepal keeps issuing visa on arrival to Pakistanis?
India must prevail upon Nepal in a very friendly and quid-pro-quo manner and get this done.
These are Pakistan's dark ages, no doubt.
How can Afghanistan be ranked below Pakistan? Afghanistan is much more peaceful and stable than Pakistan. Doesnt make sense.
Proud Pakistani!
30% of Americans don't have a passport. They don't need it. They can a lifetime visiting their 54 States. Similarly we Pakistanis don't need to travel. There are 10s of places to see within Pakistan. We just have to clean the country of some pests. That's all. So no need to worry - as long as we can still easily go to Dubai and Kaula Lumpur. Cheers!!
very unfortunate that pakistan lies 3rd in number for enjoying visa-free access around the world .
congratulations.
I see this is as a good opportunity to reflect and work hard to raise the ranking for future generations of our country. :)
There is no doubt what the rest of the world thinks about people from Pakistan. Our inattention to our own country is reflected in this report.
Don't travel to Mozambique on Visa on-arrival with Pakistani Passport, its very rare that they will give you one. Togo is visa free for Pakistanis. Not sure about Guinea Bissau
Special thanks to our Dear Politicians.