Skip to content

Canada has one of the most powerful passports in the world

Metro Vancouverites looking to renew their passport may face long waits to get one, however.
canada-passport
Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Greece and Malta tied for eighth, with their passports providing access to 185 countries worldwide. 

Canada's passport ranks among the most powerful ones in the world, according to a recent report.  

Each quarter, the Henley Passport Index presents its ranking of passports according to the number of countries their holders can enter without the bother of applying for a visa in advance. The renowned London-based consultancy, which helps governments develop citizenship-by-investment programs, bases the ranking on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and additional in-house research.

Japan continues to hold the world's most powerful passport, offering visa-free access to 193 destinations worldwide. Singapore tied with South Korea for the second spot, with access to 192 destinations. 

Germany and Spain shared the third spot, with their respective travel documents offering visa-free access to 190 countries worldwide. Finland, Italy and Luxembourg tied for fourth, with each country's passport granting access to 189 destinations. 

Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden had a four-way tie for fifth, with visa-free access to 188 countries across the globe. France, Ireland, Portugal and the United Kingdom shared the sixth spot, with each passport providing access to 187 destinations. 

Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the United States tied for seventh, with each travel document granting visa-free entry to 186 countries. Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Greece and Malta tied for eighth, with their passports providing access to 185 countries worldwide. 

Hungary was the only country in the top 10 to have its own spot, sitting in ninth overall with visa-free access to 183 countries. 

Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia rounded out the top 10 in a three-way tie, with each country's respective travel document granting access to 182 countries. 

Canada Passport lines improve but many locals report issues

Metro Vancouverites looking to renew their passport may face long waits, despite the overall average wait times decreasing across the country. 

Several people have reported waiting in long lines, including a local man who shared a video of a sprawling queue outside of the Service Canada office located in Surrey's Central City Shopping Centre.

And while many people report receiving their passports in under a month, others say they waited up to 10 months, according to the crowd-sourced website Passport Waiting Time Canada.

Find out more information about the current passport situation and how to get the travel document in Metro Vancouver with our guide.