The world’s most desirable passport has been revealed – as the UK passport slumps into 35th place in a global ranking.
Nomad Capitalist’s ‘Passport Index’ reveals the top overseas destinations for entrepreneurs and investors.
The annual index ranks 199 citizenships on five different factors: visa-free travel, taxation of citizens, global perception, dual citizenship, and personal freedom.
And while the UK dropped to 35th place, the number one spot went to Malta.
Greece, Ireland, and Romania share second place.
The three countries had strong scores in different areas. For example, Greece scored top marks for visa-free travel.
Meanwhile, Ireland ranked well for for perception and freedom, and Romania for freedom.
All three received the highest ranking available for dual citizenship availability.
Malta’s passport ranked at the top of the list this year for its excellent travel scores
Cyprus rounds out the top five – praised also for its recognition of dual citizenship and its freedom.
However, the United Kingdom slumped into joint 35th place, alongside Canada and South Korea.
Falling from 21st place in last year’s index, the research credited the UK’s decline with significantly increased tax burdens that have ‘sharply reduced its appeal as a base for globally mobile wealth.’
It also scored just 40 out of 50 in the freedom category.
The US ranks 43rd, held back by its unique citizenship-based taxation system, which imposes worldwide tax and heavy reporting obligations on Americans abroad.
The Index has been released annually since 2017, where Sweden ranked top spot. In last year’s Nomad Passport Index, Ireland topped the rankings.
‘What this year’s Nomad Capitalist Passport Index makes clear is that global mobility is evolving far faster than most governments and most individuals realise,’ said Khatia Gelbakhiani, chief growth officer at Nomad Capitalist.
Khatia added: ‘Malta’s rise to the top in 2026 is no accident.
The UK passport fell down the list, now coming in only in 35th place
‘It reflects years of consistent policy choices that prioritise tax clarity, respect for dual citizenship and strong personal freedoms, which are exactly the conditions globally mobile entrepreneurs and investors are looking for.
‘By contrast, traditional powers such as the United Kingdom are slipping down the rankings.
‘Policy decisions that reduce flexibility, increase uncertainty or penalise mobile capital inevitably show up in the data.
‘Our research shows that people want predictability, control over their financial future and the freedom to move if circumstances change, and they will gravitate towards jurisdictions that provide it.’
‘The message in 2026 is simple. Multiple citizenship is no longer a luxury for the ultra-wealthy but a strategic necessity in an uncertain world.
‘The most successful global citizens will go where they are treated best.’