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Visa Restrictions

doug reich

Some guy
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4/23/08
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See this page for what you get for your citizenship:

Henley & Partners -*International Visa Restrictions

It seems being in the developed countries of Europe, US, and far east get you comparable access to the globe. Anywhere else and all bets are off. (The countries at the bottom of the list are quite telling.)

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<!--###containerTitle### end --> <!-- CONTENT ELEMENT, uid:31/text [begin] --> <!-- Text: [begin] --> Visa restrictions are imposed by countries to control the crossing of their borders. Almost all countries now require visas from certain non-citizens who wish to enter (or leave) their territory.
A visa does not guarantee entry, however. It merely indicates that your passport and visa application have been reviewed by a consular officer at an embassy or consulate of the country you wish to enter, and that the officer has determined that you are generally eligible to enter the country for a specific purpose.
A visa allows you to travel to the destination country as far as the port of entry (airport, seaport or land border crossing) and ask the immigration officer to allow you to enter the country. In most countries the immigration officer has the authority to permit you to enter. He or she usually also decides how long you can stay for any particular visit.
<!-- Text: [end] --> <!-- CONTENT ELEMENT, uid:31/text [end] --> <!-- CONTENT ELEMENT, uid:32/text [begin] --> <!-- Header: [begin] --> Visa Requirements


<!-- Header: [end] --> <!-- Text: [begin] --> It is important to find out before travelling whether you need a visa to enter your destination or transit country.
While visa restrictions are primarily based on citizenship, the holding of a residence permit may also be of importance. For example, if you are resident in any EU country that is part of the Schengen zone, you may travel visa-free throughout that zone.
To check whether you need a visa, you can search the IATA database which is publicly available on a number of websites. Click here to go to such a website.
<!-- Text: [end] --> <!-- CONTENT ELEMENT, uid:32/text [end] --> <!-- CONTENT ELEMENT, uid:33/text [begin] --> <!-- Header: [begin] --> The Henley Visa Restrictions Index


<!-- Header: [end] --> <!-- Text: [begin] --> The Henley Visa Restrictions Index is a global ranking of countries according to travel freedom their citizens enjoy. Henley & Partners has analyzed the visa regulations of all the countries and territories in the world. It has created an index which ranks countries according to the visa-free access its citizens enjoy to other countries. This is the first time that a global ranking shows the international travel freedom of the citizens of the various countries as well as the international relations and status of individual countries relative to others.
In today's globalized world, visa restrictions play an important role in controlling the movement of foreign nationals across borders. Almost all countries now require visas from certain non-nationals who wish to enter their territory. Visa requirements are also an expression of the relationships between individual nations, and generally reflect the relations and status of a country within the international community of nations.
<!--
The top rank is held by Finland, Denmark and the United States, with a score of 130 each (a score of 130 means that a citizen of, say, Finland, may enter 130 countries and territories without a visa). They are followed by other European nations and Japan. Canada and New Zealand are joint 6th together with Luxembourg and Austria. Singapore (8th) ranks before Malaysia, which is ranked 9th together with Iceland, Greece and Australia. Further down the scale one will find Turkey (46th), Russia (62nd, together with the United Arab Emirates), India (71st), and China (78th). Not surprisingly, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan score lowest, i.e. their citizens have the least freedom to travel.
-->
The following is an overview of selected countries taken from the Henley Visa Restrictions Index - Global Ranking 2008:
<table class="visa_ranking"><tbody><tr> <th style="width: 25px;">Rank</th> <th style="width: 200px;">
</th> <th style="width: 90px; text-align: left;">Score</th> <th style="width: 25px;">Rank</th><th style="width: 200px;">
</th> <th style="width: 25px;">Score</th> </tr> <tr> <td>1</td> <td>Denmark</td> <td>157</td> <td>14</td> <td>Malta</td> <td>139</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2</td> <td>Finland</td> <td>156</td> <td>24</td> <td>Israel</td> <td>118</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2</td> <td>Ireland</td> <td>156</td> <td>17</td> <td>Hungary</td> <td>131</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2</td> <td>Portugal</td> <td>156</td> <td>20</td> <td>Argentina</td> <td>127</td> </tr> <tr> <td>3</td> <td>Belgium</td> <td>155</td> <td>23</td> <td>Brazil</td> <td>122</td> </tr> <tr> <td>3</td> <td>Germany</td> <td>155</td> <td>26</td> <td>Romania</td> <td>115</td> </tr> <tr> <td>3</td> <td>Sweden</td> <td>155</td> <td>27</td> <td>Mexico</td> <td>114</td> </tr> <tr> <td>3</td> <td>United States</td> <td>155</td> <td>29</td> <td>Croatia</td> <td>108</td> </tr> <tr> <td>4</td> <td>Canada</td> <td>154</td> <td>35</td> <td>South Africa</td> <td>88</td> </tr> <tr> <td>4</td> <td>Italy</td> <td>154</td> <td>38</td> <td>St. Kitts & Nevis</td> <td>84</td> </tr> <tr> <td>4</td> <td>Japan</td> <td>154</td> <td>42</td> <td>Turkey</td> <td>75</td> </tr> <tr> <td>4</td> <td>Luxembourg</td> <td>154</td> <td>44</td> <td>Dominica</td> <td>71</td> </tr> <tr> <td>4</td> <td>Netherlands</td> <td>154</td> <td>53</td> <td>Russian Federation</td> <td>60</td> </tr> <tr> <td>4</td> <td>Spain</td> <td>154</td> <td>54</td> <td> Taiwan</td> <td>59</td> </tr> <tr> <td>5</td> <td>Austria</td> <td>153</td> <td>61</td> <td> Thailand</td> <td>52</td> </tr> <tr> <td>5</td> <td>Norway</td> <td>153</td> <td>61</td> <td> United Arab Emirates</td> <td>52</td> </tr> <tr> <td>6</td> <td>France</td> <td>152</td> <td>70</td> <td>Saudi Arabia</td> <td>42</td> </tr> <tr> <td>6</td> <td>United Kingdom</td> <td>152</td> <td>72</td> <td>Bosnia and Herzegowina</td> <td>40</td> </tr> <tr> <td>7</td> <td>Australia</td> <td>151</td> <td>75</td> <td>India</td> <td>37</td> </tr> <tr> <td>8</td> <td>New Zealand</td> <td>150</td> <td>78</td> <td>Egypt</td> <td>34</td> </tr> <tr> <td>8</td> <td>Singapore</td> <td>150</td> <td>79</td> <td>China</td> <td>33</td> </tr> <tr> <td>9</td> <td>Greece</td> <td>149</td> <td>82</td> <td>Jordan</td> <td>30</td> </tr> <tr> <td>9</td> <td>Switzerland</td> <td>149</td> <td>83</td> <td>Korea, Dem People's Republic</td> <td>29</td> </tr> <tr> <td>10</td> <td>Iceland</td> <td>146</td> <td>87</td> <td>Pakistan</td> <td>25</td> </tr> <tr> <td>11</td> <td>Malaysia</td> <td>145</td> <td>87</td> <td>Iran</td> <td>25</td> </tr> <tr> <td>12</td> <td>Korea, Republic of</td> <td>144</td> <td>88</td> <td>Iraq</td> <td>23</td> </tr> <tr> <td>13</td> <td>Liechtenstein</td> <td>140</td> <td>89</td> <td>Afghanistan</td> <td>22</td> </tr> <tr> <td>14</td> <td>Cyprus</td> <td>139</td> <td>
</td> <td>
</td></tr></tbody></table>
 
So if i understand the ranking correctly, if you have a US passport, you can travel to 155 countries without a visa. The most you can do is 157 with a passport from Denmark.
If you have an European passport, don't throw it away. Being a citizen from EU has many advantages.

Andy, it's exceedingly rare for an EU citizen to renounce his or her citizenship. And since a landmark case of 1968(?), the US authorities permit dual citizenship. Some countries like Germany still don't allow it (as far as I know), but I've never heard of a German renouncing his citizenship to become American.
 
Not bad having a Danish Passport, then!
Finally Denmark is at the top of a list :)

Or having a Swedish, Norwegian, or Finnish passport. And Scandinavia is at the top, or close to the top, of many lists -- in social welfare, in quality of life, and so on. Small is beautiful.
 
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