In short: the Irish passport is one of the most powerful in the world. In the July 2026 Henley Passport Index it gives visa-free access to 186 destinations, and only five passports do better: Singapore (192), Japan, South Korea and the UAE (188) and Sweden (187). It also lets you live and work anywhere in the EU and in the UK.
Here’s something most Irish people never think about: that burgundy passport in the kitchen drawer, beside the half-used book of stamps and the biro that barely works, is one of the most valuable documents in the world.
I’ve written about passport rankings here every year since 2018, so I’ve merged all those old posts into this one guide and brought it up to date for 2026.
Jump to
- The most powerful passports in 2026
- Where Ireland ranks, and why
- What an Irish passport lets you do
- Can you get an Irish passport through your grandparents?
- The Irish passport card
- FAQ
The most powerful passports in the world (2026)
The best-known ranking is the Henley Passport Index, which uses data from IATA, the airline industry body, to count how many of 227 destinations each passport can enter without a visa arranged in advance. These are the top ranks from the July 2026 edition:
| Rank | Passport | Visa-free destinations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 192 |
| 2 | Japan, South Korea, United Arab Emirates | 188 |
| 3 | Sweden | 187 |
| 4 | Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Spain | 186 |
At the other end of the table, Afghanistan’s passport gives access to just 22 destinations, a gap of 170. The average passport opens about 108. Henley updates its index several times a year, so the numbers move a little each time. See the latest at henleyglobal.com.
Where Ireland ranks, and why
Ireland has been near the top of the index for years, usually in the top ten and often in the top five. A few reasons:
- EU membership: Ireland benefits from the visa deals the EU negotiates as a bloc.
- Neutrality and good relations: Ireland has few diplomatic enemies, and the Irish passport is welcome almost everywhere.
- The diaspora: with tens of millions of people of Irish descent around the world, Ireland has close ties with the US, the UK, Canada and Australia.
What an Irish passport lets you do
- Live and work anywhere in the EU, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, without a visa.
- Live and work in the UK. Under the Common Travel Area, Irish citizens can live, work and study in the UK, and Irish citizens don’t need a UK ETA.
- Visit the US visa-free on an ESTA. Flying from Dublin or Shannon, you clear US immigration before you board, at US preclearance.
- Get consular help from Irish embassies abroad, or from another EU country’s embassy where Ireland has none.
Can you get an Irish passport through your grandparents?
Possibly. If one of your parents was born on the island of Ireland, you’re usually an Irish citizen already. If one of your grandparents was born on the island of Ireland, you may be able to claim citizenship by registering on the Foreign Births Register, and then apply for a passport. See our step-by-step guide to Irish citizenship by descent, and check the official rules on ireland.ie.
Researching the family first? Our guide to Ancestry DNA kits and Irish records covers the free records you’ll need, including the 1926 census released in 2026.
The Irish passport card
Ireland also offers a wallet-sized passport card. It’s valid for travel within the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, and it’s handy as photo ID. You need a valid Irish passport book to get one, and you’ll still need the book for travel anywhere else.
FAQ
Is the Irish passport stronger than the British passport?
Yes. In 2026 the Irish passport ranks above the UK’s on the Henley index, and it also gives the right to live and work across the EU, which a British passport no longer does.
Which is the most powerful passport in the world?
Singapore’s, with visa-free access to 192 destinations in the July 2026 index.
How many countries can I visit with an Irish passport?
186 destinations without a visa arranged in advance, according to the July 2026 Henley Passport Index.
Keep reading
- How to trace your Irish roots
- Sending money to Ireland
- The strongest currencies in the world
- Where to stay in Ireland
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