north-korea-passport-ranking
Passport rank
99th
Visa-free travel to
39 Destinations
North Korea

North Korea

North Korea passport ranking

The North Korean passport is currently ranked 99th place on the Guide Passport Index. It is considered one of the lowest ranking passports in the world. North Korean passport holders have visa-free access to only 39 destinations including Dominica, Madagascar and Seychelles. There are 190 destinations for which a North Korean passport holder requires to obtain a visa prior to traveling. That is the reason why the Passport Ranking is very low on the overall worldwide mobility score. For major destinations such as the USA and the European Union, North Koreans require to apply for a visa in advance. Visa applicants need to present documents such as proof of funds and return flight ticket.

Passport rank
99th
Visa-free travel to
39 Destinations
eTA
1 Destinations
Visa required
150 Destinations
Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Algeria
Algeria
American Samoa
American Samoa
Andorra
Andorra
Angola
Angola
Anguilla
Anguilla
Argentina
Argentina
Aruba
Aruba
Austria
Austria
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bahrain
Barbados
Barbados
Belarus
Belarus
Belgium
Belgium
Belize
Belize
Bermuda
Bermuda
Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba
Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Brazil
British Virgin Islands
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Brunei
Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Canada
Canada
Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Central African Republic
Chad
Chad
Chile
Chile
China
China
Congo
Congo
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Croatia
Croatia
Cuba
Cuba
Curacao
Curacao
Cyprus
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Czech Republic
Denmark
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
El Salvador
Eritrea
Eritrea
Estonia
Estonia
Eswatini
Eswatini
Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Fiji
Finland
Finland
France
France
French Guiana
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French West Indies
French West Indies
Germany
Germany
Ghana
Ghana
Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Greece
Greece
Greenland
Greenland
Grenada
Grenada
Guam
Guam
Guatemala
Guatemala
Honduras
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hungary
Hungary
Iceland
Iceland
India
India
Indonesia
Indonesia
Iraq
Iraq
Ireland
Ireland
Israel
Israel
Italy
Italy
Jamaica
Jamaica
Japan
Japan
Kiribati
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kuwait
Latvia
Latvia
Lebanon
Lebanon
Liberia
Liberia
Libya
Libya
Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Malaysia
Mali
Mali
Malta
Malta
Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mayotte
Mexico
Mexico
Monaco
Monaco
Mongolia
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montenegro
Morocco
Morocco
Myanmar
Myanmar
Namibia
Namibia
Nauru
Nauru
Netherlands
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Zealand
New Zealand
Niger
Niger
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island
North Macedonia
North Macedonia
Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Norway
Pakistan
Pakistan
Palestinian Territories
Palestinian Territories
Panama
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Paraguay
Peru
Peru
Philippines
Philippines
Poland
Poland
Portugal
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Qatar
Reunion
Reunion
Romania
Romania
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
San Marino
San Marino
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Senegal
Serbia
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Somalia
Somalia
South Africa
South Africa
South Korea
South Korea
Spain
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
St. Maarten
St. Maarten
St. Pierre and Miquelon
St. Pierre and Miquelon
Sudan
Sudan
Sweden
Sweden
Switzerland
Switzerland
Syria
Syria
Taiwan
Taiwan
Tonga
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Turks and Caicos Islands
Ukraine
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United States of America
United States of America
Uruguay
Uruguay
US Virgin Islands
US Virgin Islands
Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Vatican City
Venezuela
Venezuela
Wallis and Futuna
Wallis and Futuna
Yemen
Yemen

North Korea Passport Ranking

The North Korea passport ranking relative to other global passports is calculated by adding up the number of countries that allow North Korea passport holders to enter without a visa (i.e. visa-free countries) and those that allow North Korea passport holders to enter by obtaining a visa on arrival (i.e. visa-on-arrival countries) or an electronic travel authorization (eTA). There are currently a total of 9 North Korea passport visa-free countries, 29 North Korea visa-on-arrival countries, and 1 eTA destinations.

Altogether, North Korea passport holders can enter a total of 39 destinations—either without a visa, through a visa on arrival, or via an eTA. As a result, the North Korea passport ranks 99 in the world.

Separate from these North Korea visa-free countries and visa-on-arrival countries, there are 190 additional destinations which North Korea passport holders either need a physical visa to enter or an eVisa (i.e. visa required countries).

About North Korea

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is made of nine provinces. It is located in Eastern Asia and borders China, Russia and South Korea. The most significant provinces are South Pyongan, South Hamgyong and North Pyongan. The country has a total surface area of 120,540 square kilometers, making it the 30th largest country in the Asia. Its terrain is diverse with wide coastal plains, deep valleys and mountains. The climate is temperate with harsh winters.

The overall population is over 25 million people. The capital of the country is Pyongyang. It is also the most populous city with more than 2.9 million inhabitants. Other important cities are Hamhung, Chongjin and Nampo. The largest and only international airport currently is Pyongyang International Airport (FNJ). It hosts the national carrier Air Koryo. The airport connects Pyongyang to domestic destinations and to Beijing.

North Korean culture is dominated by the government and national pride. Religious beliefs are diverse between, Buddhist, Confucianist and Christianity. The official language is Korean. The legal system is the civil law based on the Prussian model with Japanese and Soviet influences. The government form is a dictatorship. The current chief of state is Supreme People’s Assembly President Choe Ryong Hae. The head of government is State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un. Elections take place every 5 years and are determined by the Supreme People’s Assembly.

The official currency is the North Korean won (KPW). Its current exchange rate is about 900 won to the USD. The country has a closed state-controlled economy. It generates a GDP of approximately $40 billion. The per capita income is $1,800. The largest portion of the GDP is generated by the industry sector. Almost all of the GDP is generated by the mining and military product industry. North Korea has very limited possibilities of export and is only trading with China. The main export product is coal.

North Korea has many historic and culturally unique attractions for tourists to explore. The country has a total of 2 UNESCO world heritage sites. Main touristic destinations are the demilitarized zone, Mount Myohyang-san, the Tower of Juche, the Kim Il Sung Square, the Pyongyang Metro and the Koryo Musem. North Korea only issues tourism visa when on an organized tour guided by state approved employees. There are about 200,000 yearly touristic visitors. The majority originating from China.

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