Ireland named world’s most powerful passport as UK falls to 21st in 2025 global ranking

Ireland has claimed the top position in the 2025 Nomad Passport Index, overtaking Switzerland in what the report describes as “an ongoing rivalry between these two neutral nations that have dominated the NPI rankings in recent years.” A slight boost in Ireland’s mobility score, combined with a fractional dip in Switzerland’s, reversed their positions from last year

The index, produced by consultancy Nomad Capitalist, ranks the value of 199 citizenships worldwide based on five factors: visa-free travel, taxation of citizens, global perception, dual citizenship rights, and personal freedom. Ireland scored 109 out of a possible 120, supported by high global mobility, favourable tax policies, and unrestricted dual citizenship allowances.

Greece emerged as one of this year’s strongest performers, climbing four places to tie for second place with Switzerland. According to the report, “its rising prominence in EU migration, investment and tax discussions, along with the expansion and streamlining of its tax incentive programs, has significantly enhanced its appeal among global citizens over the last 12 months.”

Portugal, despite an increased overall score, was edged into fourth position by Greece’s strong performance. Malta rose sharply from 14th to joint fifth, “thanks largely to renewed interest in its non-dom tax regime.” Malta now shares fifth place with Italy.

The United Kingdom dropped to joint 21st, alongside France, Romania, Croatia, and Estonia. While UK passport holders retain visa-free access to 172 countries, the ranking cites unfavourable tax policies and a fall in global perception as contributing factors.

Further down the rankings, Luxembourg, Finland and Norway slipped to joint seventh, while Germany and the Netherlands dropped out of the top ten entirely. The United Arab Emirates, which topped the index just two years ago, “continues its descent – falling to joint tenth, alongside New Zealand and Iceland.”

At the bottom of the rankings, Afghanistan once again holds the lowest-rated passport in the world, scoring just 27 out of 120. Other poorly ranked passports include Iraq, Yemen, Eritrea and Pakistan, all scoring under 35 points.

Top 12 Passports – 2025 Nomad Passport Index

1. Ireland – 109.0 points
2. Switzerland – 108.5 points (tied)
3. Greece – 108.5 points (tied)
4. Portugal – 108.0 points
5. Malta – 107.5 points (tied)
6. Italy – 107.5 points (tied)
7. Luxembourg – 107.0 points (tied)
8. Finland – 107.0 points (tied)
9. Norway – 107.0 points (tied)
10. United Arab Emirates – 106.5 points (tied)
11. New Zealand – 106.5 points (tied)
12. Iceland – 106.5 points (tied)