Romanian passport sixth strongest in the world after obtaining visa-free access to US

Romania is set to have the sixth strongest passport in the world after being accepted into the US Visa Waiver program, which grants Romanians visa-free access to the United States, the Romanian Diplomatic Institute said on social media.

In the present Passport Index rankings, Romania already surpasses countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and even the United States in terms of global travel access. Once it is formally accepted into the US Visa Waiver program, the country will have access to 175 countries where travel can occur visa-free or with minimal formalities.

Once in sixth place, Romania will join the same category as Japan, Slovenia, Latvia, New Zealand, and Liechtenstein. However, 24 countries will still outrank Romania, according to the Romanian Diplomatic Institute.

The United Arab Emirates holds the top position in this ranking, with access to 180 countries, followed by Spain (179), and Finland, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Austria, Portugal, Switzerland, Norway, Greece, and Ireland (each with access to 178 destinations).

According to the Henley Passport Index, which uses a different method of calculating the strength of a passport, Singapore ranks first, while Romania is 15th.

Romania was formally designated the 43rd country to join the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP) on January 10. According to the Romanian ambassador to Washington, Andrei Muraru, Romanian citizens will be able to travel to the US without the need for a visa starting March 31, 2025.

(Photo source: Akeksandr Berdyugin | Dreamstime.com)