The World’s Most Restricted Passports: Which Countries Rank Last?

In this article, we look at the world’s weakest passports, looking at which countries have the most restricted travel, and which country has the weakest passport in the world.

We look at some of the reasons why these passports score so low, the ramifications of having such a poor passport, how it affects your global mobility and what you can do to trade up to a better passport, and even obtain multiple passports.

Understanding the World’s Weakest Passports

To determine which country has the weakest passport in the world, we need to look at multiple criteria. The obvious starting point is to look at the passport itself and how restricted it is in mobility terms.

Too often, however, we come across lists which focus on mobility to the exclusion of all else without also focusing on the why.

What Makes a Passport Weak?

So, what makes a passport weak? Put simply, passport strength is a measure of how easy it is to travel.

Strong passports offer the highest levels of visa-free travel, or failing that, e-visas, or VOA (Visa on Arrival) visas. Conversely, weak passports offer the lowest rates of visa-free travel, severely hampering mobility.

What is often left out of these discussions, however, is not just that citizens of these countries need more visas to travel. Crucially, they often find it a lot more difficult to attain visas, even for basic travel needs like tourism.

Impact on International Travel

Where you are from and how your home country is viewed abroad can have a notable impact on your global mobility, and there are many factors which affect this.

The first factor is stability, both political and economic. The countries with the best passports all have one thing in common. They are all wealthy nations with stable governments.

A country’s international standing also plays a key role, specifically how much influence the country has and how it is viewed by other nations.

If you look at a country like Switzerland or Luxembourg, which have two of the strongest passports in the world, you will note they are small yet stable and prosperous nations.

Switzerland is known for its neutrality, whereas Luxembourg is both an EU and NATO member, however both can be considered Western-aligned. That said, neither country is known for creating dramas. Rather, they rely on soft power and, as such, they tend to be well regarded internationally.

Overall, European passports score highest for mobility, followed by North America, Oceania and Latin America. Middle Eastern, African, and Asian passports, meanwhile, generally score lower.

Until recently, the closer your country to your desired destination was, geographically, ideologically and culturally, the easier it ought to be to travel there, but in 2026, such assumptions can no longer be taken for granted. 

Case in point, the US recently updated its travel ban list while also expanding its list of immigration visa bans, delivering yet another blow to global mobility.

The 10 Most Restricted Passports in 2026 

To determine the weakest passport in the world, we need to look at all the key elements; visa restrictions, travel restrictions and overall global perception. 

Top-tier passports all tend to be from affluent and stable countries with robust institutions and governments seeking to foster as many amicable relations as possible with their fellow nations. 

On the opposite side of the scale, meanwhile, we have countries lacking economic and political stability, including several active conflict zones. 

As for fostering amicable relations with other nations, while some countries are trying harder than others, it’s not something the first country on our list is particularly well known for.

10: North Korea

It’s called the Hermit Kingdom for a reason. North Korea is isolationist at best, outwardly belligerent at worst, and consequently, travel to and from the country is especially problematic. 

Given the regimes grip on power, this is unlikely to change any time soon. Spanning three generations, the Kim dynasty has endured since the 1940s with Kim Jon Un reportedly preparing his daughter to succeed him.  

9: Libya

Libya is still reeling from a complex civil war, which has resulted in a prolonged military stalemate and ongoing economic malfunction. This security situation continues to have a knock-on effect on Libyan citizens’ ability to travel. Once again, it’s unlikely that this situation will be resolved any time soon.

8: Somalia

The second African country on the list, Somalia, has been unstable for decades and has the dubious honour of being the world’s most unstable country for two years in a row, according to the Fragile States Index. 

Combined with its reputation as a hotbed of maritime piracy, you can see why a Somalian passport is unlikely to open many doors. 

7: Pakistan

Despite the vast Pakistani diaspora living and working around the world, holders of Pakistani passports are quite limited when it comes to freedom of travel. 

Unlike previous entries on this list, Pakistan has robust institutions to maintain order. So, while political corruption is an issue, it scores notably higher on Transparency International’s Global Perceptions Index, just ahead of Mexico. 

Instead, Pakistan is a victim of its geography and the resulting geopolitical necessities. The primary issue is its border with Afghanistan. This is worsened by existing border disputes with its main regional rival, India.

This rivalry, in turn, has shaped Pakistan’s foreign policy, notably its close relations with China. All of these factors combined make travel difficult for Pakistani passport holders. 

6: Iraq

Though experiencing a period of relative stability, Iraq remains perilous and fractured, scarred by sectarianism and with the spectre of renewed hostility forever looming overhead. 

Security concerns are likely to remain for the foreseeable future, impacting the travel freedoms of Iraqi passport holders. Having said that, in 2026, it’s nothing like the powder keg our next country represents. 

5: Iran

While Iraqi citizen mobility is shaped more by historical concerns, the situation in Iran is very much a concern of the here and now. News pundits continue to declare the end is near for the regime, which, although fragile, shows no signs of giving up its power. 

We have been down this road before, and it’s quite likely we will again. What the country’s ultimate fate will be is anyone’s guess, but until then, travel remains difficult for Iranian passport holders. 

4: Palestinian Territories

As with Iran, the ultimate fate of Palestine is unlikely to be resolved any time soon. Until then, the Palestinian people are severely restricted in terms of freedom and mobility, with more than half of their number stateless. 

3: Yemen

Yemen’s ongoing civil war means it consistently ranks as one of the least unstable countries in the world (repeatedly vying with Somalia for the top position). 

As with similar conflicts in the region, it is defined as much by its complexity as its severity, ensuring that Yemeni passport holders are unlikely to see a change in their travel situation any time soon. 

2: Syria

Stretching the term “cautious optimism” to its absolute limits, The Economist magazine voted Syria its country of the year for 2025. It came shortly after the fall of the Assad regime and the period of relative stability that followed. 

When we say relative stability, however, it’s important to remember what we’re comparing it to. Syria remains scarred by a brutal civil war, decades of sanctions and the iron grip of the dynastic and autocratic Assad regime. 

1: Afghanistan: The World’s Worst Passport

Finally, we come to Afghanistan, the current weakest passport in the world. Not to mention last year’s weakest passport, and the year before that, and before that again…

In fact, barring some miracle, Afghanistan will still have the weakest passport in the world for many more years to come. 

Following the US withdrawal in 2021, the Taliban swiftly regained control of the country, horrifying everyone but surprising no one. And, since diplomacy is not exactly their strong suit, the Taliban’s return meant that Afghan passport holders require visas to go pretty much anywhere, bar a handful of African countries and tiny island nations. 

Travel Restrictions and Limitations

It’s worth pointing out that the above list was also influenced by the recent US travel bans. 

Of the ten countries listed, seven countries, plus the Palestinian Territories, are subject to a US travel ban. More crucially, they all have full travel ban status, meaning nobody from that country can enter the US under any circumstances, even those with diplomatic status.

The two remaining countries on the worst passports list that are NOT on the travel ban list, Iraq and Pakistan, are nonetheless subject to the US visa ban.  

In other words, citizens from these countries can travel to the US, but they are barred from immigrating there. For those Iraqis or Pakistanis currently in the middle of applying for citizenship, that application process has now been frozen indefinitely. 

Visa Requirements Analysis

While the situation in the US is new and still developing, it nonetheless demonstrates how the political alignment of your country or government can have a profound effect on your ability to travel. It’s also a stark reminder of how the world really works. 

Regional Analysis of Restricted Passports

Western nations are quick to judge other countries for things like human rights, but from the outside looking in, are just as quick to judge you based on the country you were born in. 

There is a certain hypocrisy to championing individual rights and democracy while also collectively punishing individuals from countries with non-democratic leaders. 

This discriminatory approach to immigration is nothing new. Countries have been doing this for centuries. 

Sometimes there are genuine reasons, certain nationalities may pose security risks, or there may be concerns, exaggerated or otherwise, about ideological contagion. 

For example, the US heavily curtailed immigration during the two world wars, fearing infiltration and sabotage, whereas during the Cold War, they were more worried about the spread of communism. 

Middle Eastern Passport Challenges

Trump’s first term saw a new escalation with a 2017 presidential order banning all travel from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen for 90 days. The controversial move grabbed world headlines and quickly became known as the “Muslim ban”. 

Subsequent travel bans have been broader in scope, though still contain a large number of predominantly Muslim countries in Africa and the Middle East.

Every country has the right to control its borders as it sees fit, of course, but once immigration becomes more about appearance than reality, you risk creating new problems, without fixing the existing ones, ultimately making your country less secure. 

At Millionaire Migrant, we believe in freedom; travel freedom, personal freedom, freedom from state control – and by definition, that has to include freedom of belief. 

One’s faith is a personal matter, not a government matter, and should therefore have no impact on immigration whatsoever. 

Again, there’s a reason we’re based in the UAE. It is a predominantly Muslim country, but with an outsized expat community representing multiple faiths and beliefs, all living and working together harmoniously. Which is exactly how it should be. 

Impact on Citizens and Business Travel

As the world becomes more complex and difficult to predict, governments fear losing their power and influence and their solution, as always, is to exert even more control. 

This not only impacts personal freedoms, it’s also bad for business by erecting barriers to trade and barring talent from entry.

Personal Movement Limitations

Individuals suffer first and foremost, being restricted on where they can and cannot travel, often based on little more than the country in which they were born. 

The world is full of talented, hard-working individuals seeking better opportunities abroad, people ready and willing to make a real contribution, yet prevented from doing so because of their nationality. 

Business Operations Challenges

This has a knock-on effect on business. Imagine running a successful international business but not being able to visit your clients overseas because your country is considered problematic. 

Similarly, think of the frustration felt in the US tech and medical industries right now, unable to attract top global talent due to the untenable situation surrounding H1-B visas. (All the while America’s neighbour to the north has begun poaching the talent America needs.)

Educational Opportunities Restrictions

With countries like the US actively turning away top talent, the world’s best and brightest are already looking elsewhere to countries like Singapore and the UAE. 

It’s much the same with education. Traditionally, the US and Britain were the most desirable destinations for foreign students, but not anymore. As Western countries tighten, other nations are opening up in a bid to scoop up as much young talent as they can. 

The strategy is simple, attract top young talent to the country to study and incentivise them to stay long term to work, bolstering the economy especially in key sectors.

Solutions for Restricted Passport Holders

While your country’s geographic position may well be a factor, more likely it will be determined by political, regional, cultural and linguistic factors. 

Travel is less restrictive between allied countries or countries that share membership of a particular bloc (like the EU). This is also often the case with countries which are culturally aligned, or which share the same language, such as English or Spanish. 

One could also make the argument that religion plays a role, though the counterargument is that it’s still more about shared culture than any particular faith. 

The greater the geographical gap, the more likely you will require a visa, and the larger the cultural gap, the harder it will be to obtain one. 

Second Citizenship Options

Traditionally, the easiest way to obtain second citizenship was through marriage, though with each passing decade, this has become more restrictive and time-consuming. 

The next option is citizenship by descent, but this advantage skews more towards people born in Western countries, for example, those in the US looking for an EU passport. (For example, compare Boston with Bagdad – which citizens are more likely to get an Irish passport based on ancestry?)

So, this leaves two direct citizenship options, the first is citizenship by exception, which, by its very definition, is quite rare. 

The other, more common option is citizenship by investment. If you are at the absolute bottom of the passport pile and want to trade off fast, you might be tempted to look at what  cheapest citizenship by investment programmes are. Realistically, however, you are much better off looking at the mid-tier Caribbean programmes instead. 

That said, depending on your location, you might get more value from the growing number of African citizenship by investment  programmes like São Tomé and Príncipe. 

Residence by Investment Programs

The next option is to look at residency options, provided, of course, the country allows you to naturalise.

We’re huge advocates of UAE residency as it’s a zero-tax jurisdiction, but foreigners are granted citizenship only in exceptional circumstances, so if getting a new passport is your primary goal and you want to naturalise, you need to look elsewhere. 

For most people, that’s Europe, and that means one of their popular golden visa programmes. Your path to citizenship will take anything from five to 15 years, depending on your specific circumstances and the country you choose. 

Improving Passport Strength

The trick to trading up your passport strength is knowing these programmes inside out and how they best interact with each other. 

For example, we mentioned São Tomé and Príncipe earlier, a small, Portuguese-speaking country off the west coast of Africa. 

Firstly, it offers one of the cheapest CBI passports currently on the market. Second, the country is a member of the CPLP, a community of Portuguese-speaking countries which includes Portugal and Brazil. 

In practical terms, applying as a CPLP country citizen means a three-year reduction in naturalisation time if you decided to obtain Portuguese citizenship.

So, rather than a passport which gets you nowhere, you get an EU passport plus a second backup passport with visa-free access to several countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. 

Diplomatic Relations Impact

Governments can play their part too, and it is possible for politicians to improve the mobility of their citizens by engaging with other governments. 

Turkmenistan is a case in point; originally included on Trump’s 2025 visa ban, it was subsequently removed since the US government determined that it had made significant progress in transparency and cooperation with the US. 

So, by the end of the year, when the US expanded its list, Turkmenistan was removed, though most of its regional neighbours remain. 

The lesson is that countries can improve their mobility and overall standing provided the political will exists to cooperate with other nations. 

Economic Development Connection

When countries form economic communities, free trade and travel soon follow.  The EU is the perfect example of this, a group of nations which started as an economic partnership but resulted in free movement between member states. 

The UK lost this advantage following Brexit, and the value of its passport dropped overall, not just in relation to European travel but to other countries as well. 

The takeaway here is simple, deeper cooperation means enhanced travel, reversing that makes travelling harder.

International Agreements

So, the general rule of thumb is that cooperation boosts travel, isolation diminishes it. The downside, however, is that while being a member of one “passport club” enhances travel in one direction, it can often isolate you from others. 

So, while having an EU passport opens many doors, it closes others, and this is where citizenship by investment becomes so valuable. 

Say you have reason to travel to Russia or China. With an EU passport that would ordinarily require a visa, but if you also have a passport from a citizenship by investment country like Dominica or Grenada, you can travel to either destination visa-free. 

The Future Outlook for Restricted Passports

In the short term, it’s unlikely that the countries on the worst passports list will improve much. 

We’re pretty sure Afghanistan will have the weakest passport again next year or, if not, it will cede first place to another country like Yemen.

We’re certain, too, that Libya will stay on the list, as will Somalia, possibly joined, once more, by one or more of its neighbours, like Eritrea, Sudan or South Sudan. 

We’re not expecting North Korea to reform itself and level up its transparency any time soon, nor can we envision a swift and peaceful resolution to the situation in Palestine. Iran remains a wildcard right now, and its future remains uncertain.

As for Iraq and Syria, there is hope for stability, but that hope remains fragile, and, as global tensions mount, there is always the danger that the region will once again fall victim to power struggles, both internal and external. 

Emerging Changes in Global Mobility

The United States is currently affecting the biggest changes in global mobility, with travel bans, immigration bans and major changes to its H1-B visa programme. 

In Europe, meanwhile, countries are also tightening up. All the EU’s citizenship by investment programmes are now shuttered while its various golden visa residency programmes have become more restrictive and, generally, more expensive too. This hasn’t affected demand, however, which continues to rise. 

Which is exactly why we’re always stressing the fact that, if there is a programme you are interested in, you need to start the process right now – because, in addition to others getting ahead of you in the queue, each day you delay is a day where the price might increase, new restrictions get added, or the programme gets shut down altogether. 

Strategies for Enhanced Global Mobility

If you are from a country with a weak passport and want to increase your global mobility, there are various strategies you can employ to trade up. These include second citizenship options, residency options or, what we tend to advise, a combination of both. 

Legal Options for Travel

Traditionally, the most affordable way to gain second citizenship is through marriage, though this has become a lot more difficult in recent years. 

The next option is to claim citizenship by descent, but, as we mentioned earlier, this is not always viable in many cases, and the solution skews more towards people in North or Latin America, and/or those with European heritage. 

A combination of the two might also work, however. If you have a spouse who can claim citizenship by descent, you can then apply for residence in that country and naturalise that way. 

Since that’s a lengthy process with many moving parts, you may prefer to speed the whole thing up with citizenship by investment, in which case a Caribbean passport, such as Grenada or Saint Kitts & Nevis, would be the ideal option.

These are relatively affordable options which will increase your global mobility significantly, with visa-free access to multiple strategic destinations in Europe, Asia and Latin America. 

Alternative Routes and Solutions

Obtaining a second passport also opens up considerably more routes of travel. Previously, you may have had no choice but to fly certain routes or through specific transit points, incurring extra costs and time delays. 

Having more travel route options also means being able to take employ geoarbitrage strategies as you can take fuller advantage of more available countries, without all the added immigration checks.

Professional Assistance Services

All of these strategies can, and often should, be combined. This is what we recommend to our clients to maximise their global mobility. 

For example, you start off rapidly boosting your mobility through citizenship by investment, such as one of the popular Caribbean offerings. You could then combine that with a golden visa to obtain residency in the EU, leading to naturalisation and more long-term stability. 

So now, instead of a weak passport, you have two strong ones, both working together to unlock as much of the world as possible. 

Getting the right balance is everything, however, and that means having detailed knowledge of travel and immigration rules of multiple countries. Which is where we come in. 

Unlike most in our industry, we’re not selling just one passport. Instead, we look at the best options available, run you through the pros and cons of each until we find the solution you’re happiest with, then we sell you that. 

Don’t let anyone sell you a passport you don’t want or need, contact Millionaire Migrant today and get the right solution for you. 

Weakest Passports In The World – Takeaways

• The country with the current weakest passport in the world is Afghanistan.
• Pakistan’s proximity to Afghanistan is one of the main geopolitical reasons why its citizens have such low global mobility.
• Others on the worst passport list include problematic regimes like Iran and North Korea. 
• Instability, civil war and sectarianism are also key factors, with some of the worst passports belonging to Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen. 
• Countries with the weakest passports tend to have strained relations with the West in general, and the US in particular.
• Of the ten worst passport countries, eight are currently on the US travel ban list. 
• Citizenship by investment is the quickest way to increase your passport power. 
• It is best combined with additional residency options to provide more stability while also increasing your global mobility. 

From Travel Restrictions To Global Autonomy

The world is in a state of transition with more borders, more barriers, tighter regulations on business and more restrictions on personal freedom than we have seen in generations.

One of the results of all this is that we are seeing countries become more insular, making trade, travel and immigration more difficult.

As open-minded people who champion the principles of global mobility and free trade, we find these recent trends alarming. 

The countries on our weakest passports represent the worst-case scenario. Now imagine your country’s worst-case scenario.

Imagine waking up to discover your freedoms curtailed, and with it, your ability to travel when and where you want. Perhaps just a few years ago, such ideas seemed laughable, but now? Not so much. 

A change of policy, a change of government, threats from without or within, whatever way it might play out, having second citizenship lets you travel freely across borders, protecting you and your family from harm. 

Doing so also ups your status and widens your window of opportunity, ultimately allowing you to move to a destination which best suits your lifestyle and values. 

If you are worried that things might get worse, don’t wait around to find out, contact Millionaire Migrant today to start the process, so that, whatever happens, you and your loved ones stay safe. 

The World’s Weakest Passports: FAQ

What Is The World’s Weakest Passport?

The country with the world’s weakest passport is Afghanistan, scoring at the bottom for visa-free travel. The country’s global perception is also shaped by its security situation and thorny diplomatic relations with other countries. 

Which Countries Have The Worst Passports? 

In terms of global mobility, the worst passports tend to be from countries wracked by sectarian violence, including such as Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Palestine and Yemen. 

Countries with conflicts on their borders are often affected, as in the case of Pakistan. Poor diplomatic relations with the US and the West are also a factor, as is the case with North Korea and Iran. 

How Can I Get A Better Passport? 

The quickest and easiest way to get a better passport is through citizenship by investment, for example, through one of the Caribbean programmes, granting you second citizenship in a matter of months. See our Blueprint page for more details.