Ireland has secured the top position in the Nomad Capitalist’s annual index of the world’s best passports for 2025, marking the first time a northern European country has achieved this ranking. Unlike other assessments that primarily focus on visa-free travel, this index evaluates passports based on five key factors: visa-free access (50%), taxation policies (20%), global perception (10%), dual citizenship opportunities (10%), and personal freedom (10%).
For visa-free travel, the index relies on government data from 199 passport-issuing countries and territories, incorporating real-time intelligence and proprietary research. This evaluation includes a MobilityScore that measures ease of travel, considering visa-free entry, visa-on-arrival access, and electronic travel authorization (eTA) or eVisa availability.
The taxation criterion assesses how countries tax their citizens regardless of their residence. Scores range from 10 to 50, where a score of 10 indicates taxation regardless of location, 20 or 30 suggests that relocation can help avoid taxation, 40 is assigned to countries that do not tax foreign income for residents, and 50 is awarded to nations with zero taxation policies.
Among 199 nationalities assessed, Ireland achieved a Nomad Passport Score of 109, reclaiming the top spot after losing it to Switzerland the previous year. Switzerland now shares the second position with Greece, both scoring 108.5. Ireland previously tied for first place in 2020 alongside Luxembourg and Sweden. The country’s strong global reputation, business-friendly tax structure, and overall flexibility in citizenship were key factors in securing the top ranking.
Greece made a notable leap from sixth place to joint second, reflecting its growing appeal among high-net-worth individuals, retirees, and global investors in response to shifting geopolitical and policy landscapes.
The recognition of Ireland’s passport highlights the benefits granted to its citizens, including the right to live and work across the European Union and, uniquely, in the United Kingdom. Other countries in the top rankings include Portugal, Malta, Italy, Luxembourg, Finland, Norway, the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, and Iceland. The United States ranked 45th, sharing its position with San Marino.
At the bottom of the index, passports from Pakistan, Iraq, Eritrea, Yemen, and Afghanistan rank between 195 and 199. India occupies the 148th position alongside Comoros, with a total score of 47.5. This marks a slight drop from last year when India ranked 147th, sharing the spot with Mozambique.
Earlier in the year, the Henley Passport Index, which bases its ranking on data from the International Air Transport Association, showed that India had fallen from 80th to 85th place.
