As of August 2023, a Mexican passport offered access to a total of 153 countries without having to apply for a visa before travelling. Of these, 101 nations did not require a visa at all and 52 requested visas on arrival. Mexican passports were among the most powerful in Latin America.

The statistic shows the share of citizens from the United States who own a valid passport from 1989 to 2017. In 2017, 42 percent of the total population of the United States owned a valid passport.

The Henley Passport Index (HPI) is a global ranking of countries according to the travel freedom of holders of their ordinary – as opposed to diplomatic – passport holders. It started in 2006 as Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index (HVRI) and was modified and renamed in January 2018. The site provides a ranking for 199 passports of the world according to the number of countries their holders can travel to visa-free. The number of countries that a specific passport can access becomes its visa-free 'score'. In collaboration with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and based on official data from their global database Henley & Partners has analysed the visa regulations of the vast majority of the countries and territories in the world since 2006.

Score for visa-free access for a country’s passport to travel destinations as measured by the Henley Passport Index For each travel destination, if no visa is required for passport holders from a country or territory, then a score with value = 1 is created for that passport. A score with value = 1 is also applied if passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival, a visitor’s permit or an electronic travel authority (ETA) when entering the destination. These types of visa require no pre-departure government approval because of the specific visa-waiver programmes in place. Where a visa is required, or where a passport holder has to obtain a government-approved electronic visa (e-Visa) before departure, a score with value = 0 is assigned. A score with value = 0 is also assigned if passport holders need pre-departure government approval for a visa on arrival, a scenario that is not considered “visa-free”. The total score for each passport is equal to the number of destinations for which no visa is required (value = 1), under the conditions defined above.

Philippine passport holders can travel to ** countries without the need for a visa out of 227 possible travel destinations. The country's passport was currently at 73rd out of 199 passports.

Nation-states employ visa restrictions to manage the complex trade-off between facilitating the entrance to their territory by passport holders from certain countries for economic and political reasons and deterring individuals from other countries for reasons of perceived security and immigration control. The resulting system is one of highly unequal access to foreign spaces, reinforcing existing inequalities. Trans- national mobility is encouraged for passport holders from privileged nations, particularly rich Western countries, at the expense of severe restrictions for others. Visa restrictions manifest states’ unfaltering willingness to monitor, regulate and control entrance to their territory in a globalized world.

As of early August 2023, a Brazilian passport offered access to a total of 162 countries without having to apply for a visa before travelling. Of these, 111 countries did not require a visa at all to Brazilian passport holders, whereas 51 states required a visa on arrival. Nonetheless, Brazilian passports were among the most powerful in Latin America at that time.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents in England and Wales by passports held at a more detailed country level. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

Where a person recorded having more than one passport, they were counted only once, categorised in the following priority order: 1. UK passport, 2. Irish passport, 3. Other passport. Only the first country written in “Other passport” was taken.

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This update provides unrounded migration estimates. The accompanying data are provided at Country level down to Output Areas.

Area type

Census 2021 statistics are published for a number of different geographies. These can be large, for example the whole of England, or small, for example an output area (OA), the lowest level of geography for which statistics are produced.

For higher levels of geography, more detailed statistics can be produced. When a lower level of geography is used, such as output areas (which have a minimum of 100 persons), the statistics produced have less detail. This is to protect the confidentiality of people and ensure that individuals or their characteristics cannot be identified.

Coverage

Census 2021 statistics are published for the whole of England and Wales. Data are also available in these geographic types:

• country - for example, Wales
• region - for example, London
• local authority - for example, Cornwall
• health area – for example, Clinical Commissioning Group
• statistical area - for example, MSOA or LSOA

Passports held

All passports classifies a person according to the passport or passports they held at the time of the census. This included expired passports or travel documents people were entitled to renew. Where a person recorded having more than one passport, they were counted only once, categorised in the following priority order: 1. UK passport, 2. Irish passport, 3. Other passport.

As of August 2023, a Colombian passport offered access to a total of 139 countries without having to apply for a visa before traveling. In 2022, the United States – which requests a visa for Colombian nationals – was the main destination for travelers from that South American country.

French tourists were the most numerous among European visitors to Israel in 2023. That year, almost 230,000 French passport holders entered the country. Russian visitors were the second most common, nearing 160,000, and Italians 107,000. In contrast, only 2,300 Estonians visited Israel in 2023.

e-Passports Market Outlook

The global e-passports market size is projected to grow significantly from $22 billion in 2023 to an estimated $62 billion by 2032, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.1% over the forecast period. This substantial growth is primarily driven by the increasing demand for enhanced security features and the convenience provided by biometric technologies. E-passports, also known as electronic passports, incorporate advanced technology that enables the storage of biometric information, ensuring a higher level of security and aiding in the prevention of identity fraud. The rising incidences of identity theft and fraudulent activities have necessitated the adoption of more secure travel documents worldwide, thus boosting the demand for e-passports.

The growing emphasis on national security has been a primary growth driver for the e-passports market. Governments across the globe are continuously enhancing their border security measures to prevent illegal immigration and cross-border terrorism. The adoption of e-passports is part of broader initiatives to improve identification systems, making borders more secure and reducing the risk of identity theft. Moreover, e-passports are aligned with the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) standards, making them integral to international travel. The standardization efforts by ICAO have necessitated the widespread implementation of e-passports, contributing to market growth.

Another significant factor fueling the growth of the e-passports market is the increasing volume of international travel. As global mobility rises, the need for reliable and efficient identity verification systems becomes crucial. E-passports facilitate faster immigration clearance processes, ensuring a seamless travel experience, which is increasingly desired by travelers. This convenience factor is particularly appealing to frequent travelers and the business community, further driving the demand for e-passports. Additionally, technological advancements are making these documents more robust and difficult to forge, which is a key consideration for governments and travelers alike.

Furthermore, the integration of advanced biometric technologies in e-passports is providing a substantial impetus to market growth. Biometrics, such as facial recognition, fingerprinting, and iris scans, offer an additional layer of security that is difficult to replicate, thus ensuring the authenticity of the holder's identity. The continuous innovation in biometric technologies is enhancing the functionality and security of e-passports, making them more appealing to both authorities and end-users. This growing adoption is anticipated to propel the market forward over the forecast period.

Regionally, Europe and North America are anticipated to remain prominent markets for e-passports due to their advanced technological infrastructure and high adoption rates of new security measures. However, Asia Pacific is expected to witness the highest growth rate, driven by increasing government initiatives to upgrade passport and identity verification systems. The booming travel and tourism industry in countries like China and India further supports this trend. The increased focus on security in these regions is resulting in a surge in demand for e-passports, significantly contributing to the global market's expansion.

Technology Analysis

The technological landscape of the e-passports market comprises several key components, including biometric, RFID, and other emerging technologies. Biometric technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing the security and efficiency of e-passports. It involves the use of unique physical characteristics, such as fingerprints, facial recognition, and iris scans, to verify the identity of passport holders. This technology is increasingly being adopted due to its high accuracy and reliability in preventing identity fraud. The integration of biometrics into e-passports ensures that only the rightful owner can use the document, thereby significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized use.

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology is another crucial component of modern e-passports. RFID chips embedded in e-passports store the holder's personal and biometric information, which can be read by authorized scanners at border control points. This technology facilitates faster processing times and enhances security by providing real-time verification of the passport holder's identity. The use of RFID technology in e-passports aligns with international standards set by agencies such as the

The Chinese tourists can have more choices to travel overseas without visa applications. In 2019, Chinese passport holders can visit 72 countries visa-free or with a visa on arrival. Among the total 29 visa-free countries, 14 implemented a mutual visa-free policy with China.

The citizens of Barbados had the most powerful passports in the Caribbean region as of late 2023. At that moment in time, the Barbadian national could travel to 165 countries without having to get a visa. Passports from the Bahamas ranked second, scoring with visa-free access to 158 destinations. Meanwhile, Chilean citizens were holders of the most powerful passport in Latin American region that same year.

Tourism in the Caribbean

In 2023, outbound travelers from the Caribbean spent an estimated amount of four billion U.S. dollars. Looking at the number of tourists from the Caribbean arriving in the United States, about 1.35 million visitors from the region traveled to the U.S. in 2022. Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic had one of the highest number of international tourist arrivals in the Americas in 2022, showcasing the significance of inbound tourism in the region.