Turkey’s passport was ranked 93rd globally in the VisaGuide Passport Index for 2024, trailing closely behind Kiribati and positioned between Timor-Leste and Kiribati on the list, the TR724 news website reported on Tuesday.
The ranking assesses the relative strength of passports worldwide based on factors such as visa-free access, eVisas and global mobility.
The VisaGuide Passport Index assigned Turkey’s passport a score of 48.75, reflecting access to 72 visa-free destinations and 36 destinations with visas upon arrival, along with 22 eVisa options. The index evaluated 199 countries and territories, with Singapore claiming the top spot and Somalia ranking last.
The index shows that passports from smaller nations, such as Kiribati, Micronesia, Tuvalu and Palau, outrank Turkey. Some Latin American and Pacific Island nations, including Nicaragua, Venezuela and the Marshall Islands, also scored higher.
Russia, facing sanctions and entry bans in six countries due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, ranked below Turkey in 95th place.
The VisaGuide Passport Index uses a scoring system it calls the Destination Significance Score (DSS). This metric evaluates destinations based on their GDP, Human Development Index (HDI), Tourism Index and Power Index, among other criteria. This detailed approach ensures no two passports are ranked equally.
The VisaGuide Passport Index’s methodology is more detailed than the Henley Passport Index, which uses a simpler approach by assigning scores based solely on visa-free access.
Turks frequently complain about the weakness of the Turkish passport since they have to obtain visas to visit many countries and the increasing rate of rejection of Schengen visa applications.
According to figures published by the European Commission, Turks lodged 1,055,885 Schengen visa applications, the second-highest number of applications after China, in 2023.
While visa applications from Turks increased by 36.5 percent in 2023 compared to a year earlier, Turks’ rejection rate, which was 15.7 percent in 2022, increased by six points to 21.7 percent in 2023.
Fees for a Schengen visa vary between 60 and 90 euros depending on the destination country. On top of the visa fees are many required documents for the Schengen visa, such as a round trip reservation and itinerary, travel insurance policy, proof of accommodation, proof of financial means and more.