In the updated global passportranking, Pakistan has slipped by nine places to be in 183rd position in 2026.
English-language media outlet Gulf News reported that Pakistan’s passport has a mobility score of 42 in the list, meaning that Pakistani passport holders are able to travel to a total of 42 different destinations via various forms of relatively easy travel.
The mobility score does not, however, imply that Pakistanis can completely travel to 42 countries visa-free.
Pakistani nationals are allowed to enter only nine countries without a prior visa, 29 countries through visa-on-arrival and 4 countries through an electronic travel authorisation.
This implies that Pakistani citizens need not obtain a traditional visa for departure to 42 destinations. However, they need to obtain a visa for other destinations
Visa-free destinations
The report says that the nine countries that would allow Pakistani passport holders to enter visa-free are Barbados, Dominica, The Gambia, Haiti, Micronesia, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vanuatu.
There are also 29 countries where Pakistani citizens can get a short-term visa on arrival, and four countries require an e-TA for a short-term visa.
Pakistan’s ranking declines
This is a reversal from the better ranking that Pakistan enjoyed over the past few years.
The report indicates that Pakistan was in the 180th position in 2023 and had climbed to the 175th position in 2024. It ranked in the top 174th position in 2025. However, the passport fell nine places in 2026 to 183rd.
Pakistan is now ranked as one of the lowest in the world’s most poorly ranked passports with only Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan being lower.
The report also indicated that Pakistan’s rank in 2026 is 14 places lower than its rank in 2020 where it was at 169th position.
The average score for mobility also decreases.
The mobility score for Pakistan has further reduced from the previous year as well. The score stood at 36 in 2020 and rose to 47 in 2023, remaining at that level in 2024. It then fell to 44 in 2025 and dropped further to 42 in 2026.
A mobility score is used to refer to the destinations where travellers do not require a traditional visa before travelling. The visa-free option is the most convenient, while visa-on-arrival will still require immigrants to fulfil entry and immigration conditions at their destination. There’s also easier access but for the most part, the ETA must be approved online first.