The Nomad Passport Index is a comprehensive ranking system that evaluates the freedom and flexibility of travel afforded by different passports around the world. This index takes into account factors such as visa-free travel, visa-on-arrival facilities, and the ease of obtaining a visa.
The ranking is based on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater travel freedom.
The Nomad Passport Index is a useful tool for anyone who travels frequently, as it allows them to determine which passports offer the most freedom and flexibility. This can be especially helpful for digital nomads, who often need to move quickly between countries in order to maintain their work and lifestyle.
One of the most important factors considered in the Nomad Passport Index is visa-free travel. This refers to the number of countries that a passport holder can visit without requiring a visa.
For example, a passport that allows visa-free travel to 180 countries would be considered more valuable than one that only allows visa-free travel to 50 countries.
Another factor considered in the index is the ease of obtaining a visa. Some countries have strict visa requirements and may require extensive paperwork or long waiting periods, which can be a major barrier to travel.
Countries with more lenient visa policies will score higher in this category.
In addition to these factors, the Nomad Passport Index also takes into account other aspects of passport travel, such as the quality of life in the country, the political stability of the government, and the level of economic development.
These factors can have a significant impact on the overall travel experience and can affect the desirability of a particular passport.
Overall, the Nomad Passport Index is a valuable tool for anyone who travels frequently or is considering relocating to a new country. By providing a comprehensive ranking of passports based on their travel freedom and flexibility.
According to the Nomad Passport Index, the USA passport is ranked 43. For the fifth year running, American passports have failed to make the list of the top 40 ranked best passports in the world.
The NPI index doesn’t just measure travel freedom. It also measures overall freedom. After all, what’s the point of going anywhere if the IRS is going to follow you around the world wherever you go?
Hence the growing trend of Americans renouncing their citizenship and starting new lives overseas. Not all that long ago, the notion of renouncing your US citizenship and becoming a citizen of a foreign country was seen as an extreme move – but not anymore.
Americans pay higher taxes. So a new pioneering generation has begun hitching their wagons and looking across the Atlantic at low-tax European countries instead. The only problem now is that these countries are beginning to close the shutters.
According to Andrew Henderson, the founder of global citizenship consulting firm Nomad Capitalist, “The sun is setting on Europe’s golden visa programs. Ireland has shut its program down, Portugal is shutting its program down, and Spain is set to follow.”
All eyes now are on the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta. This low-tax, English-speaking country will gladly give you an EU passport – and all the rights and freedoms that come with it – but only if you can afford the price.
But, as Andrew Henderson, author, investor, and founder of the global citizenship consultancy company Nomad Capitalist notes, “It’s only a matter of time before Malta closes too, so you need to move quickly.”
As other programs shut, Malta’s fast becoming the only game in town as wealthy investors clamor to obtain citizenship for themselves and their families before it’s too late.
History is often known for its ironic twists. One can scarcely think of a more damning indictment of the current state of US politics than the vision of huddled Americans on a tiny island in Europe yearning to breathe free.