In a new ranking of countries that offer the best passports, Belgium is in tied fourth place with Switzerland, closely missing out on landing among the top three.
The Nomad Passport Index version 2022, published by tax and immigration consultancy Nomad Capitalist, not only takes visa-free travel into account (50% of the score is based on this).
It also looks at other elements based on priorities that it believes are important to (potential) citizens, such as taxation (20%), the ability to hold dual nationality (10%), the international perception of the country (10%) and personal freedoms (10%).
"While most indexes - and most people - think of a passport only in terms of travel privileges, we realised that citizens of different countries deal with far different requirements to pay tax, live freely, comply with regulations, and avoid scrutiny when travelling," reads a statement.
"In that regard, the number of countries a passport holder may visit does not tell the whole story."
Based on the various elements that are considered important to citizens, Belgium received a so-called Nomad Passport Score of 114: "Belgium has one of the world’s most respected passports."
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The ranking is unchanged from last year's list, with Luxembourg, Sweden and Ireland in the top three, followed by Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Singapore.
EU top of class
Eight of the Top Ten passports are from European Union countries, while nine of the passports included in the top ten are from countries located in Europe. Almost 85% of the top 30 are European countries.
The "worst" ones in the ranking of 199 passports come from Eritrea, Pakistan, Yemen and Iraq, while last place goes to Afghanistan, which provides access to 26 countries. South Pacific Ocean nation Vanuatu's passport saw the heaviest drop in the ranking, falling from 69th to 85th place.
Meanwhile, a Japanese passport has for the fourth year in a row been named the best for travelling, as it grants access to 192 countries.
Nomad's CEO Andrew Henderson said the higher ranking of a passport does not necessarily mean it's more suitable for someone looking for a second or third citizenship.
"People generally build a 'passport portfolio' for one of two reasons: to reduce their taxes or to have a back-up residency plan. A Luxembourg citizenship likely won’t serve either of these groups," he told CNCB.
