+ ON THE SOAPBOX: Are powerful passports really making travel easier?

Anirudh Singh, COO for Europe and CIS at VFS Global, takes a view.

Anirudh Singh is Chief Operating Officer for Europe and CIS at VFS Global, the world's largest visa outsourcing and technology service specialist for governments and their diplomatic missions worldwide.  The company manages non-judgmental and administrative tasks related to applications for visa, passport, and consular services for 68 governments worldwide.  Operating 3593 Application Centres in 158 countries, VFS Global has processed more than 309 million applications since 2001.
 
The latest annual Passport Index, ranking all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a visa, shows the impact a powerful passport can have.
 
The index, published by the global advisory firm Henley & Partners, finds Singaporeans can boast visa-free access to 195 out of 227 destinations worldwide, with Japan in the runners-up spot with 193.
 
Certainly, powerful passports are making travel much more seamless for millions of travellers – but these headlines tell only one side of the story.  Across the world, for reasons of security and sovereignty and responding to growing public concerns about migration, some countries are reintroducing visa checks.
 
As a result, even US citizens – now one of the biggest travel markets in the world – sometimes need to apply for a visa before they travel abroad.  The reverse is also true, with more people now requiring a visa to enter the US, which allows just 46 other countries access without a prior visa.  Equally, China only grants visa-free entry to a total of 58 nations. In short, visas remain a necessary pre-requisite for travel in many instances.  Many countries still have visa requirements in place or have re-introduced new or tightened procedures.
 
According to the most recent Tourism Visa Openness Report, published by the United Nations (UN), close to half of all people globally (47% of the world’s population) still require a visa to travel.  And, as the Passport Index commentary suggests, the trend of certain countries imposing more stringent entry requirements for some nationalities is likely to continue in 2025.
 
Governments increasingly understand that they need a visa application process that suits numerous customer needs. For example, the more traditional traveller will probably prefer to speak to someone in person at a visa application centre.  Others – especially frequent travellers – want bespoke services such as having their travel documents couriered to them at short notice, in some cases directly to the airport. Or, because they travel abroad regularly, they may need to keep their passport while they are making an application: applicants for a UK visa can retain their passport while their UK visa application is being initially assessed, for example.  Visa administrative staff can now even visit applicants in their home, office or hotel to process their documents, rather than the applicant having to visit a visa application centre – a service that is particularly popular with business and group travellers in Europe.
 
At the end of the day, governments rightfully remain in sole charge of who is granted a visa and that will remain a human decision, but they are recognising that technological enhancements can make the application process itself smoother.   As the Passport Index says, the world of travel is preparing itself for a digital overhaul in 2025 in terms of border control.  For instance, the UK’s electronic travel authorisation (ETA) scheme extended to non-European travellers in January and Europeans will need an ETA to travel to the UK from April, while the digital European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is now expected to commence by mid-2025.  According to the International Air Traffic Association (IATA): “The transition to digital travel is more than just a technological upgrade – it’s a paradigm shift.  A seamless travel experience could strengthen global connectivity, boost tourism, and support economic growth.”  
 
The bottom line is that while some passports may be more powerful for many travellers, that is not the case for almost half the world’s population.  And even from those from countries that are used to visa-free travel, there are still many destinations that still require a visa. That is where technology and innovation can make travel reasonably seamless even when visas are required, allowing countries to address security concerns while maintaining ease of access for those they want to attract.

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READERS' COMMENT

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 200 words maximum

George Argos,

I find the whole thing confusing. But the good news is as a British passport holder I can go to the Foreign Office where it is all set out. www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-development-office