Every traveler wishes that their travel experiences go as smoothly as possible, especially at border control. However, visa-free controls are not the only concern for travelers, especially digital nomads and remote workers. A new study has a special ranking that includes relevant factors that are valuable for these types of travelers.
Nomad Capitalist—a consulting firm founded and led by legal consultant Andrew Henderson— has launched the Nomad Passport Index 2023, a ranking for the best citizenships. The ranking considers 199 citizenships, and besides visa requirements, it includes in the equation international taxation laws, dual citizenship possibilities, global perception, and freedom.
According to the information shared on the official website, this study aims to help aspiring global citizens preserve wealth and reach personal freedom.
Here’s a list of the best passports per country and more details about the country’s position in this special ranking:
The Best Passports According To The Ranking
To Nomad Capitalist, the world’s most powerful passports are not the ones that have more visa-free travel alternatives —although this factor has a heavy weight in the study— but the ones that provide more opportunities for digital nomads, entrepreneurs, and aspiring global citizens.
These are the top 10 citizenships in the world according to Nomad Capitalist:
- United Arab Emirates — Score: 110.50: This passport jumped from position 35 to first place this year. New changes like the possibility to apply for dual citizenship and the friendly tax system had an influence on this. Dubai recently became an international hotspot for remote workers and digital nomads as the country aims to expand its global connections, economy, and technological developments.
- Luxembourg— Score 108.00: This tiny country in Europe offers citizens a great passport and high levels of freedom. The government has also recently made it easier for immigrants to obtain citizenship.
- Switzerland— Score 108.00: This is not only one of the safest countries in the world but also one of the best citizenships. There are 118 countries that welcome travelers with Swiss passports without visas, and the government allows the Swiss to relocate to avoid tax.
- Ireland—Score 108.00: Just like Switzerland, Ireland passport holders can access many countries without a visa—115— and have similar benefits regarding taxation systems.
- Portugal —Score 108.00: Another European country offers its citizens freedom and even visa-free access to nations that other neighboring countries don’t have. This beautiful country—one of the most popular destinations in 2022— has also been growing as a hotspot for digital nomads and offers them a friendly taxation system as residents.
- Germany—Score 107.00: Even though a German passport has visa-free access to more countries than other nations ranked before, dual citizenship is not always possible and was considered a disadvantage for this ranking. However, its powerful economy and technology make it a great nation for digital nomads and remote workers.
7. Czech Republic—Score 107.00: This fascinating European country also offers a great passport for its globe trotters. The Czech Republic has remained in the top ten for the past four years, with benefits as a member of the European Union and its tax system; it offers great citizenship too.
8. New Zealand—Score 106.50: This gorgeous and popular country among expats has valuable citizenship for its people. Despite the strict lockdown and COVID-19-related measures during the pandemic, this country remains a nation that provides advantages and freedom to its people.
9. Sweden— Score 106.00: For the past 7 years, Sweden has stayed in the top ten of this ranking. Despite its high taxes, this country has a great reputation worldwide and high levels of freedom and visa-free travel options that make it stand out.
10. Finland—Score 106.00: This country had once first place in this very same ranking, but its strict tax policies have made it scale down its score and position.
The following countries on the list are the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, Belgium, Malta, Lithuania, Italy, Latvia, Denmark, and Slovakia.
