The Irish Passport – A gift for its centurial birthday
We’ve always known that the Irish passport was special. Only in service just over a century, it opens doors all over the world, in a way that other passports don’t necessarily, and now our thoughts have been validated by the Nomad Passport Index’s latest report. As of 2025, the Irish passport is considered the strongest globally.
But what makes a passport strong? It’s so much more than a travel document for holidays or work trips. Increasingly, a passport is also a powerful symbol: of mobility, opportunity, and even identity. Our 2025 exhibition within EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, On the Move: A Century of the Irish Passport, really dove into the strengths of the passport.
The Nomad Capitalist Passport Index
Every year, the Nomad Passport Index ranks the world’s passports according to a unique set of criteria, including visa-free travel, international taxation laws, dual citizenship possibilities, global perception, and personal freedom. In the 2024 index, the Irish passport ranked in third place, just behind Switzerland and Luxembourg. In 2025, it beat both passports out to take the crown, with Switzerland falling to joint second place along with Greece, and Luxembourg ending up in seventh, with Portugal coming fourth, and Malta and Italy coming joint fifth.
This top-tier ranking places Ireland ahead of global heavyweights like the United Kingdom (in joint 21st place with France, Estonia, Croatia and Romania) and the United States (45th along with San Marino), but what makes the Irish passport so valuable?
Mobility and Access
One key reason is simple: visa-free access. Holders of an Irish passport can travel to 189 countries without the need for a visa, making it one of the most globally mobile nationalities in the world. Whether it’s a weekend in Paris, a business meeting in New York, or a spontaneous adventure in Tokyo, Irish passport holders enjoy an enviable level of freedom. Because of the Common Travel Area, Irish passport holders don’t need a visa to visit the UK, like many other European countries since they left the EU.
But the Nomad Index also looks beyond travel. It considers how easily citizens can live, work, or invest abroad, how countries treat dual citizenship, and even the reputation a passport confers in the eyes of global institutions and foreign governments.
Ireland scores highly in all these areas – particularly for its reputation as a neutral, respected, and outward-looking nation.
A Passport with History
EPIC’s upcoming exhibition takes a look back at how the Irish passport has evolved over the last century. From the early days of the Free State to the present, the passport has been the cornerstone of Irish identity and a ticket to greater opportunities overseas.
For generations of Irish emigrants, the passport symbolised a chance for new beginnings – whether they were heading to the UK, the US, Australia, or elsewhere. For their descendants, many of whom now seek Irish citizenship through ancestry, it has become a way to reconnect with their roots while gaining access to the freedoms of the EU.
The Irish passport, in many ways, tells the story of Ireland itself – of resilience, reinvention, and remarkable reach for such a small island nation.
Citizenship by Descent: A Global Appeal
One of the standout features in Ireland’s ranking is its openness to citizenship by descent. An estimated 70 million people worldwide claim Irish ancestry, and many of them are eligible for an Irish passport. This “diaspora benefit” has made Ireland especially attractive to those seeking a second citizenship – not just for emotional or familial reasons, but for the practical freedoms it brings. It’s this ancestral curiosity that brings hundreds of thousands of people into EPIC and The Irish Family History Centre every year.
In the post-Brexit era, Irish citizenship has become a passport back into the European Union. For UK citizens with Irish grandparents, that connection has taken on new significance. And for Americans seeking global flexibility, an Irish passport is a gateway to new possibilities.
Personal Freedom and Perception
The Index also considers personal freedom and taxation – important factors for entrepreneurs and digital nomads. Ireland’s democratic stability, commitment to civil liberties, and generally progressive social policies contribute to its strong showing.
Perception matters too. An Irish passport is often seen as less politically loaded than others, making it an asset in parts of the world where neutrality and diplomacy go a long way. It’s no accident that Irish nationals are often perceived as friendly, safe, and uncontroversial travellers.
On the Move: Exploring the Irish Passport’s Legacy
EPIC’s new exhibition, On the Move, doesn’t just explore the technical aspects of passport power – it tells the human stories behind them. From the early emigrants who left with little more than hope and a paper passport, to today’s digital nomads and heritage seekers, the Irish passport has always been about movement, transformation, and connection.
As the Nomad Index shows, Ireland’s passport isn’t just among the most powerful in the world – it’s also one of the most meaningful.
Final Thoughts
Power in a passport isn’t just about where you can go – it’s about what you can do with that freedom. For Irish citizens, and for those lucky enough to claim a piece of Ireland through ancestry, this little booklet represents a legacy of resilience, connection, and global belonging.
So next time you flip through your Irish passport, take a moment to consider what it really represents – not just access, but identity. And if you’re curious to learn more, make sure to visit On the Move at EPIC and explore a century of stories through the world’s most powerful travel documents.
On the Move: A Century of the Irish Passport was on show at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum between the 1st May and the 1st October 2025.
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