Most people who have been abroad in today's linked, globalised world currently hold or have had a passport. A passport is a necessary travel document that enables a person’s verification while travelling overseas, offers information about their nationality, and acts as a kind of identity.
Although the majority of governments (with the exception of nations and autonomous territories like Gibraltar and Greenland) issue passports, applying for one typically costs money. Although passports enable international travel, the price of this essential identity document varies significantly between nations, and the cost of obtaining one is determined by where you live.
Passports in 2024: Most expensive passport
Remarkably, according to the survey, passports from Mexico are the most expensive in the world. Its 10-year validity costs about Rs 19,481.75; its three-year and six-year passports are the eighth and fourth most expensive, respectively. The 10-year passports from the United States (Rs 13,868) and Australia (Rs 19,041) come next.
Passports in 2024: Cheapest passport
The most affordable passport in the world is offered by the United Arab Emirates. The cost of obtaining a UAE passport is around Rs 1,400. As of April 2024, the Indian passport is the second cheapest passport in the world, costing Rs 1,524.95 for a 10-year validity period.
Several cheapest passports in the world are offered by African countries like South Africa and Kenya, as well as by several European countries like Spain and Hungary.
Why does an Indian passport have the best value?
While Spain's passport for nationals aged 30 and older offers the most value as one of the most powerful passports in the world with visa-free entry to 194 countries, the Indian passport has the best value in terms of "cost per year" among the passport list.
According to the Henley Powerful Passport Index 2024, the Indian passport ranks 82nd and allows its bearer to enter 58 countries without a visa.