A passport is your ticket to the world. It gives you the privilege to visit the canals of Venice or wonders like the Great Wall of China. Yet, in many countries, passports are a luxury reserved for the elite. For many, the cost of a passport is often prohibitively high, let alone flights and hotels, making international travel a distant dream. In a country like South Korea, which now has one of the world’s most powerful passports, normal citizens could not even get a passport until 1989.
The strength of a passport also varies, with some allowing visa-free travel to more countries than others. Let’s explore the world’s most expensive passports and find out which passports take the prize for the most exorbitant and the best value.
In this Guide
- The World’s Most Expensive Passports
- Top 10 Countries with the Most Expensive Passports
- The Most Expensive Passport in the World: Australia
- Most Expensive Passports Relative to Minimum Wage
- What is the Most Valuable Passport? Passport Cost vs Visa-Free Access
- Why Are Passports So Expensive?
- Passport Costs for Every Country in the World
The World’s Most Expensive Passports
Passports are essential for international travel, but in some places they come with a hefty price tag. Here’s a look at the top countries where the cost of a passport might set you back more than you would expect:
Top 10 Countries with the Most Expensive Passports
| Country | Cost |
|---|---|
| Australia | $400 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | $350 |
| Mauritania | $324 |
| Liechtenstein | $273 |
| Turkey | $265 |
| Mexico | $215 |
| New Zealand | $206 |
| Haiti | $200 |
| Samoa | $200 |
| Venezuela | $200 |
The Most Expensive Passport in the World: Australia
Coming up strong from the land down under, Australia by far takes the crown as the world’s most expensive passport with the steep price of $400 (excluding any fees for expedited processing).
Australia’s passport is the most expensive due to recent price hikes and advanced security features. The increased fee began on July 1, 2024 after a 15% tax addition, the second of the year. The increase in cost is a result of new advanced security features like biometric chips and durable polycarbonate pages. Critics say this increase hits families the hardest, turning travel plans into a major financial decision. If you’re an Aussie planning a trip, it’s wise to budget early!
Most Expensive Passports Relative to Minimum Wage
For most it is the cost of flights, hotels, food and entertainment that are the restricting factors when considering a vacation abroad. In many countries of the world, the cost of the passport itself can be what prevents citizens from traveling abroad. In those countries, passport prices are so obscenely expensive compared to the minimum wage of workers, that travel is reserved for the elite.
For instance, in Tanzania where a passport costs $57, it would take 377 hours, nearly 10 working weeks, to make enough money to purchase a passport. While in Germany, it takes only 5 hours of work at minimum wage to secure your ticket to the globe. Here is a look at the respective expense of passports on both sides around the world:
Relative Cost of Passports by Country
| Country | Passport Cost | Min. Wage (per hr) | Hours to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | $36 | $7.10 | 5 |
| Germany | $77 | $14.68 | 5 |
| Czech Republic | $27 | $4.79 | 6 |
| United Kingdom | $111 | $15.67 | 7 |
| Vietnam | $8 | $0.76 | 11 |
| Japan | $112 | $8.14 | 14 |
| Jamaica | $42 | $2.38 | 18 |
| Costa Rica | $72 | $2.78 | 26 |
| Belize | $99 | $2.50 | 40 |
| Fiji | $90 | $1.78 | 51 |
| Lebanon | $112 | $1.24 | 90 |
| Tanzania | $49 | $0.13 | 377 |
What is the Most Valuable Passport? Passport Cost vs Visa-Free Access
We all want a good bargain, and if you are in the right country, you might just be in the right place to get the best bang for your buck. Comparing the passport costs in each country to the number of visa-free destinations that passport helps you travel to, the United Arab Emirates passport is the most valuable in the world. The cost of the UAE passport is $13.62 (AED 50) and it allows citizens to travel to 134 countries completely visa-free, 45 countries with a visa on arrival or ETA. Only 19 countries require a traditional visa for a UAE citizen to enter as a tourist.
The United States on the other hand is one of the least valuable in the world. A U.S. Passport costs $130 (excluding administration fees) and citizens can only travel to 123 countries visa-free. That’s means a UAE passport is 10.6 times more valuable for visa-free travel than a U.S. Passport. Here are the 5 most valuable passports in the world:
Top 5 Most Valuable Passports:
| Country | Cost | Visa-Free Countries | Cost Per Visa-Free |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | $13.62 | 134 | $0.10 |
| Bulgaria | $22 | 121 | $0.18 |
| Spain | $33 | 133 | $0.25 |
| Poland | $35 | 128 | $0.27 |
| South Korea | $36 | 125 | $0.29 |
Why Are Passports So Expensive?
The cost of passports can be attributed to several factors:
- Production and Technology: Advanced security features, such as biometric chips and holograms, increase production costs.
- Administrative Fees: Processing and administrative fees contribute significantly to the overall cost.
- Economic Factors: The economic environment and currency strength also play critical roles in determining passport prices.
Learn more: Which Locations Do Not Require a Passport for U.S. Travellers?
Passport Costs for Every Country in the World
These are the costs for a standard adult passport with validity of 10 years or the highest possible when not available.
| Country | Passport Cost | Visa-Free Countries |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore | $52 | 138 |
| France | $95 | 135 |
| United Arab Emirates | $14 | 134 |
| Germany | $77 | 134 |
| Italy | $128 | 134 |
| Spain | $33 | 133 |
| Sweden | $47 | 133 |
| Luxembourg | $55 | 133 |
| Finland | $55 | 133 |
| Belgium | $72 | 133 |
| Netherlands | $92 | 133 |
| Portugal | $72 | 131 |
| Austria | $83 | 131 |
| Denmark | $134 | 131 |
| Switzerland | $153 | 130 |
| Norway | $51 | 129 |
| Malta | $88 | 129 |
| Malta | nan | 129 |
| Poland | $35 | 128 |
| Ireland | $83 | 128 |
| Greece | $93 | 128 |
| Czech Republic | $53 | 127 |
| Hungary | $39 | 127 |
| United Kingdom | $111 | 127 |
| Cyprus | $16 | 126 |
| Cyprus | $77 | 126 |
| Japan | $112 | 126 |
| South Korea | $36 | 125 |
| Estonia | $44 | 125 |
| Slovenia | $53 | 125 |
| Lithuania | $55 | 125 |
| Slovakia | $55 | 125 |
| Canada | $120 | 125 |
| Latvia | $31 | 124 |
| Malaysia | $44 | 124 |
| Croatia | $47 | 124 |
| United States of America | $130 | 123 |
| New Zealand | $206 | 123 |
| Romania | $65 | 122 |
| Iceland | $102 | 122 |
| Bulgaria | $22 | 121 |
| Liechtenstein | $273 | 121 |
| Hong Kong | $47 | 119 |
| Australia | $400 | 119 |
| Brazil | $54 | 116 |
| Monaco | $94 | 116 |
| Chile | $75 | 114 |
| Argentina | $38 | 113 |
| Brunei | $43 | 113 |
| Barbados | $74 | 113 |
| Israel | $73 | 111 |
| San Marino | $105 | 109 |
| Bahamas | $50 | 108 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | $350 | 107 |
| Andorra | $49 | 106 |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | $120 | 106 |
| Seychelles | $56 | 104 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | $65 | 104 |
| Mexico | $215 | 104 |
| Uruguay | $85 | 103 |
| Mauritius | $8 | 102 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | $20 | 102 |
| Ukraine | $24 | 99 |
| Saint Lucia | $100 | 99 |
| Grenada | $125 | 99 |
| Costa Rica | $72 | 98 |
| Peru | $33 | 95 |
| Paraguay | $40 | 94 |
| Panama | $100 | 93 |
| Serbia | $33 | 91 |
| Solomon Islands | nan | 91 |
| Colombia | $65 | 88 |
| Samoa | $200 | 87 |
| El Salvador | $25 | 86 |
| Honduras | $40 | 86 |
| Tuvalu | $60 | 86 |
| Tonga | $106 | 86 |
| Guatemala | $4 | 84 |
| Russian Federation | $78 | 84 |
| North Macedonia | $40 | 83 |
| Taiwan | $40 | 83 |
| Georgia | $56 | 83 |
| Kiribati | $68 | 83 |
| Montenegro | $36 | 82 |
| Marshall Islands | $100 | 79 |
| Nicaragua | nan | 79 |
| Moldova | $83 | 78 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | $27 | 77 |
| Albania | $80 | 77 |
| Qatar | $27 | 75 |
| Venezuela | $200 | 75 |
| Turkey | $265 | 75 |
| Palau | $50 | 73 |
| Micronesia | $50 | 73 |
| South Africa | $33 | 67 |
| Kuwait | $20 | 63 |
| Belize | $99 | 63 |
| Saudi Arabia | $160 | 60 |
| Jamaica | $42 | 59 |
| Maldives | $29 | 57 |
| Botswana | $25 | 56 |
| Bahrain | $32 | 55 |
| Guyana | $29 | 53 |
| Vanuatu | $59 | 52 |
| Ecuador | $90 | 52 |
| Fiji | $90 | 52 |
| Kosovo | $33 | 51 |
| Oman | $125 | 51 |
| Lesotho | $20 | 49 |
| Eswatini | $35 | 49 |
| Indonesia | $44 | 49 |
| Belarus | $12 | 48 |
| Nauru | $60 | 48 |
| Tanzania | $49 | 47 |
| Namibia | $27 | 46 |
| Thailand | $42 | 46 |
| Gambia | $60 | 46 |
| Ghana | $110 | 46 |
| Malawi | $75 | 45 |
| Kazakhstan | $54 | 44 |
| China | $17 | 43 |
| Sierra Leone | $100 | 43 |
| Papua New Guinea | $28 | 42 |
| Zambia | $40 | 42 |
| Kenya | $32 | 41 |
| Morocco | $50 | 41 |
| Tunisia | $20 | 40 |
| Mongolia | $24 | 40 |
| Cape Verde | $64 | 40 |
| Zimbabwe | $150 | 40 |
| Suriname | nan | 40 |
| Philippines | $17 | 39 |
| Armenia | $26 | 39 |
| Uganda | $68 | 38 |
| Bolivia | $82 | 38 |
| Azerbaijan | $36 | 37 |
| Senegal | nan | 35 |
| Dominican Republic | $56 | 34 |
| Mali | nan | 34 |
| Niger | $10 | 33 |
| Benin | $50 | 33 |
| Burkina Faso | $66 | 33 |
| Rwanda | $75 | 32 |
| Cuba | $100 | 32 |
| Mozambique | nan | 32 |
| Guinea | $26 | 31 |
| Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) | $113 | 31 |
| Togo | $115 | 31 |
| Madagascar | $0 | 30 |
| Kyrgyzstan | $5 | 30 |
| India | $18 | 30 |
| Uzbekistan | $20 | 30 |
| Guinea-Bissau | $35 | 30 |
| Gabon | $74 | 30 |
| Vietnam | $8 | 28 |
| Mauritania | $305 | 28 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | nan | 28 |
| Liberia | $23 | 27 |
| Nigeria | $46 | 27 |
| Equatorial Guinea | $82 | 26 |
| Tajikistan | $100 | 26 |
| Cambodia | $100 | 26 |
| Angola | $136 | 26 |
| Laos | $60 | 25 |
| Algeria | $44 | 24 |
| Jordan | $71 | 24 |
| Chad | $82 | 24 |
| Egypt | $32 | 22 |
| Central African Republic | $63 | 22 |
| Cameroon | $180 | 22 |
| Sri Lanka | $19 | 21 |
| Burundi | $47 | 21 |
| Bhutan | $12 | 20 |
| Bangladesh | $49 | 20 |
| Comoros | $66 | 20 |
| Djibouti | $80 | 19 |
| Lebanon | $112 | 19 |
| Congo (Dem. Rep.) | $180 | 19 |
| Haiti | $200 | 19 |
| Turkmenistan | $17 | 18 |
| Libya | $11 | 17 |
| Myanmar | $16 | 17 |
| Iran | $36 | 16 |
| Sudan | $200 | 16 |
| Sudan | $200 | 16 |
| Ethiopia | $11 | 15 |
| Palestinian Territories | $20 | 15 |
| Nepal | $76 | 15 |
| Eritrea | $200 | 14 |
| Pakistan | $47 | 13 |
| Yemen | $100 | 13 |
| Somalia | $140 | 13 |
| Iraq | $62 | 11 |
| Syria | $12 | 9 |
| Afghanistan | $120 | 7 |
Note: All data was collected via multiple channels including official government websites and other available sources.
FAQs About Passport Costs Worldwide
What is the most expensive passport in Europe?
The most expensive passport in Europe is from Liechtenstein, costing $264.
How much does a passport cost in Australia?
As of July 1, 2024, an Australian passport costs $400.
What country has the most expensive visa fee?
The U.S. has the most expensive tourist visa fee at $185 for a visitor visa. All travelers not from a Visa Waiver Country or that are rejected for an ESTA visa, must apply in person and pay a visa fee to enter the country as a tourist.
» MORE:
Understanding U.S. Passport Costs: Fees Explained
Renew Your U.S. Passport Online: Updated Application Process
Renewing Your U.S. Passport Abroad: A Guide
Tips for Taking the Perfect Passport Photo
What to Do if You Lose Your Passport While Traveling