The latest Passport Index report has ranked the German passport as the third most mobile in the world, behind Japan and Singapore.

Travelling around the world with a German passport

Every year Henley and Partners, a London-based law firm, release their Passport Index, a ranking of the world's passports that is based on the freedom of movement and visa-free travel they bestow upon the holder.

This year's index shows that the most valuable passport in the world is Japan’s, which allows holders to travel to 191 countries visa-free. Singapore came in second place, with citizens able to visit 190 countries. German citizens can travel to 189 countries, putting it in third place, alongside South Korea. It is followed by Italy, Finland, Spain and Luxembourg in fourth place, with 188 countries available to them.

To create the index, Henley and Partners evaluated data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), as well as other data, to provide information on which countries you can visit, how many different countries your passport will allow you to enter and whether you need a visa. 

Coronavirus effects on travel

The law firm’s index does not take into account the current travel restrictions put in place to help contain the coronavirus. The coronavirus crisis has had a significant effect on certain passport holders, like those from the US, which is ranked seventh in the index, as current travel restrictions mean they cannot visit as many countries as they should be able to.

In fact, since July 2, people from only eleven countries from outside the EU have been allowed to travel to Germany. Individuals from Japan, South Korea and China will only be allowed to fly into Germany if German citizens are granted entry to their countries.