South Korea tops Passport Index for 1st time

South Korea has topped the Passport Index for the first time and is tied with Singapore for the top position in the list for best passports offering visa-free travel. It secured 162 points visa-free score and is tied with Singapore at the same score. The passport index is considered as a global authority for rankings of passports. It is an indicator of the power of the passports across the globe, as quoted by the Lonely Planet.

EU nations tend to obtain high ranks. But in 2017 Singapore took the lead as the first nation from Asia to obtain the first rank. As of now two nations from Asia are on the top place- South Korea and Singapore.

South Korea received a push after receiving visa waiver from Uzbekistan and changes in visa policies by Somalia. Nations across the world are opening up for overseas travelers. The rate of hassle-free international travel is measured by the World Openness Score by the Passport Index. It has never been higher.

Easing visa processes or offering visa waivers is one of the crucial measures through which nations promote tourism. Lately, Saudi Arabia announced that it will begin to offer Tourist Visas for the first time. It offers visas only for pilgrims, business or visitors who have families in the nation.

A new E-Visa scheme was also launched by Brazil. This will decrease the wait times and price for travelers from Canada, Japan, Australia and the US. It is also aimed at boosting tourism. Belarus and Uzbekistan have also offered visa waivers for travelers for a list of nationals. This is to offer that extra push to them to arrive at these nations.

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit, Invest or Migrate to South Korea, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company.