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How to turn your weak passport into a strong passport (with examples)

Updated: March 5, 2020 51 Comments

Turn Your Weak Passport Into Strong Passport
Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

There are many reasons why some passports are strong and some are weak. Economic and political stability, bilateral agreements, reciprocity, and many other factors affect the strength of a passport.

Passports from war-torn countries tend to suffer a lot these days. Countries with population issues also seem to have weaker passports.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • What makes a passport strong or weak?
  • What are some of the strong and weak passports in the world?
  • How to turn your weak passport into strong passport?
    • 01. Get US visa (or Canada visa)
    • 02. Get Schengen visa
    • 03. Build travel history
  • Conclusion

What makes a passport strong or weak?

A passport that offers VISA-FREE access to most countries in the world is the strongest. According to Henley & Partners Passport Index (Feb 2020), Japan’s passport is the strongest in the world with VISA-FREE access to 191 countries.

As the VISA-FREE number drops, the passport becomes weaker and weaker. As per the Henley & Partners Passport Index (Feb 2020), Afghanistan’s passport is the weakest in the world with VISA-FREE access to only 28 countries.

What are some of the strong and weak passports in the world?

Most developed nations tend to have strong passports. These countries boast strong economies and stable political environments.

According to Henley & Partners Passport Index (Feb 2020), some of the strong passports in the world are Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Germany and Italy.

Developing nations usually tend to have weak passports. These countries are struggling or recovering from political and economic instabilities.

According to Henley & Partners Passport Index (Feb 2020), some of the weak passports in the world are Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan and Somalia.

How to turn your weak passport into a strong passport?

Having a weak passport is a struggle but it’s not the end of the world. With a bit of effort and planning, you can turn your weak passport into a strong passport. Maybe not the strongest, but a lot stronger than your current passport.

Here are the 3 steps to turn your weak passport into a strong passport.

***

01. Get US visa (or Canada Visa)

United States of America US Visa Image

You can, of course, travel to the US with a US visa. But you can also travel to 49 other countries and territories with a US visa.

With a US visa, you add 49 more countries (including the US) and territories to your VISA-FREE list.

Let’s look at how your current passport with a US visa stacks up against some of the strong passports in the world.

—

Example: Your Current Passport with US Visa

Your Current PassportYour Current VISA-FREE CountriesVISA-FREE Countries For US VisaYour New VISA-FREE Countries *Your Current Passport Is As Strong As
Pakistan321933 + 19 + 1 = 53Bhutan
Chad
Comores Islands
Equatorial Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Sri Lanka422042 + 20 + 1 = 63Kyrgyzstan
Morocco
Sierra Leone
Nigeria461946 + 19 + 1 = 66Cape Verde
Uganda
Egypt492149 + 21 + 1 = 71Gambia,Tanzania or Zambia
Vietnam542154 + 21 + 1 = 76Kazakhstan
Namibia
India583758 + 37 + 1 = 96Kuwait
Timor-Leste
Philippines672367 + 23 + 1 = 91Ecuador

* (Your Current VISA-FREE Countries For Your Passport) + (VISA-FREE Countries With US Visa For Your Passport) + (US) = Your New VISA-FREE Countries.

FURTHER READING: Travel 49 countries VISA-FREE with a US visa

—

If the US visa is difficult for you, get a Canada visa. Canada visa is equally powerful. You can travel to 36 countries (including Canada) and territories with a Canada visa.

Both US and Canada visas are long-term visas. They are usually issued for 10 years. You get your US or Canada visa once and your passport remains strong for the next 10 years.

Let’s look at how your passport with Canada visa stacks up against these strong passports.

—

Example: Your Current Passport with Canada Visa

Your Current PassportYour Current VISA-FREE CountriesVISA-FREE Countries For Canada VisaYour New VISA-FREE Countries *Your Current Passport Is As Strong As
Pakistan321032 + 10 + 1 = 43Ethiopia
South Sudan
Sri Lanka421142 + 11 + 1 = 54Cambodia
Madagascar
Mali
Niger
Vietnam
Nigeria461146 + 11 + 1 = 58India
Mauritania
Tajikistan
Egypt491349 + 13 + 1 = 63Kyrgyzstan
Morocco
Sierra Leone
Vietnam541254 + 12 + 1 = 67Azerbaijan
Philippines
India582558 + 25 + 1 = 84Botswana
Papua New Guinea
Philippines671467 + 14 + 1 = 82Bahrain

* (Your Current VISA-FREE Countries For Your Passport) + (VISA-FREE Countries With Canada Visa For Your Passport) + (Canada) = Your New VISA-FREE Countries.

FURTHER READING: Travel 36 countries VISA-FREE with a Canada visa

—

Personal Experience

I have traveled to Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Philippines, Taiwan and South Korea using my US visa. If I hadn’t had my US visa, I would have required visas to all of those countries.

***

02. Get Schengen Visa

Schengen Visa Image

You can travel to 26 Schengen countries with a Schengen visa. But also to 39 non-Schengen countries. A total of 65 countries.

These 39 non-Schengen countries honor Schengen visa as their own visa. You don’t need a separate visa for these countries.

Unlike US/Canada visas, Schengen visas are short-term visas valid for 90-180 days. Visa validity increases on subsequent applications.

Let’s see at how your passport with a Schengen visa stacks up against strong passports in the world.

—

Example: Your current passport with Schengen visa

Your Current PassportYour Current VISA-FREE CountriesVISA-FREE Countries For Schengen VisaYour New VISA-FREE Countries *Your Current Passport Is As Strong As
Pakistan322632 + 26 + 26 = 84Botswana
Papua New Guinea
Sri Lanka422842 + 28 + 26 = 96Kuwait
Timer-Leste
Nigeria462746 + 27 + 26 = 99Belize
South Africa
Egypt492949 + 29 + 26 = 104Belize
South Africa
Vietnam542854 + 28 + 26 = 108Turkey
India584258 + 42 + 26 = 126Colombia
Tuvalu
Philippines673167 + 31 + 26 = 124Montenegro

* (Your Current VISA-FREE Countries For Your Passport) + (VISA-FREE Countries With Schengen Visa For Your Passport) + (26 Schengen Countries) = Your New VISA-FREE Countries.

FURTHER READING: Travel 39 non-Schengen countries VISA-FREE with a Schengen visa

—

A combination of a US and Schengen visa bumps that list by a whopping 80 (* depends on the passport).

Let’s look at how your passport with US/Canada visa and Schengen visa stacks up against the strong passports in the world.

—

Example: Your Passport with US and Schengen Visa

Your Current PassportYour Current VISA-FREE CountriesVISA-FREE Countries For US and Schengen VisaYour New VISA-FREE Countries *Your Current Passport Is As Strong As
Pakistan322932 + 29 + 1 + 26 = 88Fiji
Guyana
Nauru
Sri Lanka423142 + 31 + 1 + 26 = 100Belize
South Africa
Nigeria462946 + 29 + 1 + 26 = 102Belize
South Africa
Egypt493149 + 31 + 1 + 26 = 107Turkey
Vietnam543154 + 31 + 1 + 26 = 112Turkey
India584858 + 48 + 1 + 26 = 133El Salvador
Honduras
Serbia
Philippines673467 + 34 + 1 + 26 = 128Nicaragua
Ukraine

* (Your Current VISA-FREE Countries For Your Passport) + (VISA-FREE Countries With US and Schengen Visa For Your Passport) + (US) + (26 Schengen Countries) = Your New VISA-FREE Countries.

—

Example: Your Passport with Canada and Schengen Visa

Your Current PassportYour Current VISA-FREE CountriesVISA-FREE Countries For Canada and Schengen VisaYour New VISA-FREE Countries *Your Current Passport Is As Strong As
Pakistan322832 + 28 + 1 + 26 = 87Fiji
Guyana
Nauru
Sri Lanka423042 + 30 + 1 + 26 = 99Belize
South Africa
Nigeria462946 + 29 + 1 + 26 = 102Belize
South Africa
Egypt493149 + 31 + 1 + 26 = 107Turkey
Vietnam543054 + 30 + 1 + 26 = 111Turkey
India584458 + 44 + 1 + 26 = 129Vanuatu
Philippines673267 + 32 + 1 + 26 = 126Colombia
Tuvalu

* (Your Current VISA-FREE Countries For Your Passport) + (VISA-FREE Countries With Canada and Schengen Visa For Your Passport) + (Canada) + (26 Schengen Countries) = Your New VISA-FREE Countries.

***

03. Build Travel History

Turn Your Weak Passport Into Strong Passport - Entry Exit Stamps
Photo © Aswer777 | Dreamstime.com

Travel history may not make your passport strong, but it will improve your chances of visa approvals. The more travel history you have, the higher are the chances of visa approvals.

Travel history indicates that you don’t have illegal immigration intent. If you were to remain illegally, you could have done it so in any of the countries you have been to so far. Travel history makes you trustworthy in the eyes of the consulates.

Visa applications such as the US, Canada, UK, Malaysia, Bahrain, etc. specifically ask for a copy of your travel history.

Therefore, fill your passport with visas and stamps to make it even stronger.

***

Conclusion

If you hold a weak passport, then these 3 steps will help you turn your weak passport into a strong passport. This will not turn your passport into the strongest, but these steps will definitely make your passport much better and stronger.

Do you have any questions? Do you need more examples? Let me know in the comments below.

Plan Your Trip With Visa Traveler

I highly recommend using these websites to plan your trip. I use these websites myself to apply for my visas, book my flights and hotels and purchase my insurance.

01. Apply for your visa
You can get a verifiable flight itinerary for your visa application from DummyTicket. Flight itineraries from DummyTicket are valid for 2 weeks and works for all visa applications.

02. Book your fight
You can find the cheapest flight tickets using Skyscanner. Skyscanner includes all budget airlines and you are guaranteed to find the cheapest flight to your destination.

03. Book your hotel
You can book your hotel from Booking.com. Booking.com has pretty much every hotel, hostel and guesthouse from every destination.

04. Get your onward ticket
If traveling on one-way ticket, you can get your proof of onward flight from Expedia. Expedia offers free cancellation on tickets booked within 24 hours. Or use OnwardTicket to get a proof of onward ticket in just 2 minutes.

05. Purchase your insurance
You can purchase travel insurance for your trip from WorldNomads. With WorldNomads, you can purchase and extend your travel insurance from anywhere.

Disclaimer: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. I get a small commission if you click on them and make a booking or purchase, but at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support this blog.

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About Me

About Thirumal Motati, founder and travel writer at visa traveler
Hi! I’m Thirumal Motati. I’m on a mission to travel to every country in the world on my “weak” passport. As a digital nomad, I have been traveling full-time for over 4 years now. My knowledge and experience has helped many secure their visas and fulfill their travel dreams. Want to learn how to travel the world on a weak passport? Start here.

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