Canadian Passport Ranked Seventh-Best Worldwide by Henley & Partners in 2024.
The Canadian passport is ranked eighth in the world in the 2024 worldwide ranking of passports by Henley & Partners, a reputable residency and citizenship consultancy firm. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) data used to create this rating highlights the power and flexibility of the Canadian passport. The Canadian passport is still one of the most effective travel credentials in the world, granting entry to a large number of nations without the requirement for a visa. Examine why the Canadian passport is unique in the Henley Passport Index and how it stacks up against other passports that are highly ranked across the globe.
Canadian Passport Sixth Most Powerful in 2024; Singapore Leads with 195 Visa-Free Countries
According to the company, the Canadian passport is the sixth most potent in the world this year. This rating is determined by a lot of factors, one of which is the quantity of travel alternatives that passport holders can take without a visa. In addition to having more options for employment and education in many of these nations, Canadians are granted visa-free travel to 187 other countries globally. Furthermore, having two passports and being able to hold dual citizenship is advantageous to a lot of Canadian passport holders. The Canadian passport is ranked seventh, along with the passports of Malta, Czechia, and Hungary. It has maintained this position for the past two years.
At the top of the list, Singapore continued to be in 2024, with 195 countries accepting visa-free travel. Five countries—France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain—tied for second place with passports that allow visa-free travel to 192 nations. With visa-free travel to 186 nations, the United States fell from its last place ranking within the G7 this year to the eighth spot. Afghanistan came in worst place overall, having visa-free travel to just 26 nations.
A Historically Resilient Passport
Henley’s rankings over the years have demonstrated the enormous benefits that holders of a Canadian passport have routinely received.
Moreover, Canada’s passport was placed second in the world by the company in its 2014 rankings of global mobility. For almost twenty years, the Canadian passport has been ranked among the top ten passports by Henley’s.
Ways to Obtain a Canadian Passport
Obtain Citizenship First
Being a citizen of Canada is the prerequisite for obtaining a Canadian passport. For individuals who were not born in Canada, this typically means obtaining permanent residency. Moreover, you must meet the physical presence requirements for citizenship. This entails living in Canada for a minimum of three of the previous five years, or 1,095 days.
Note: You may be able to obtain Canadian citizenship through your parent if you are the direct offspring of a citizen of Canada (who was a citizen at the time of your birth). Some children of Canadians born overseas are now more eligible to inherit citizenship thanks to recent revisions in the laws.
When seeking for Canadian citizenship, a newcomer must complete additional conditions after obtaining permanent residency and meeting the physical presence requirements. Among them are:
- Tax Filing: You must file any required tax returns and settle any outstanding taxes owed during your residency period.
- Citizenship Test: You need to successfully pass a Canadian citizenship test, which assesses your knowledge of Canadian history, government, and laws.
- Language Proficiency: You must demonstrate your proficiency in one of Canada’s official languages—English or French. Specifically, this requires meeting at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4.
A minimum of three years are typically required to get Canadian citizenship through naturalization.
Submitting an application for a Canadian passport
New citizens can apply for a passport following their attendance at a citizenship ceremony and receipt of a citizenship certificate. All legitimate Canadian citizens are welcome to apply, however some people may not be qualified due to specific reasons. These problems include lying on the citizenship application, worries about security, abuses of human rights, or connections to organized crime.
The application process requires specific documents, including:
- Proof of Canadian Citizenship: This can be a citizenship certificate or a Canadian birth certificate.
- Existing Canadian Passport or Travel Document: If you have a valid Canadian passport or travel document issued in your name, it must be provided.
- References: You need to provide two references to support your passport application.
- Identity Confirmation: A document verifying your identity is required.
- Passport-Size Photographs: Two identical passport-size photos must be submitted.
- Guarantor: First-time applicants must provide a guarantor who meets specific criteria. Additionally, these criteria can vary depending on the type of passport and the location of the application.
New citizens can apply for a passport online. Alternatively, they can visit a Service Canada center, where both walk-ins and appointments are available.