According to the latest passport index from Visa Guide World, an online portal that assesses the strength and validity of passports from all countries, the Spanish passport is the one that provides access to the most countries in the world without the need for a visa.
To compile the ranking, the index assigns a value to each travel destination based on the entry policy applied to the passport, GDP, Energy Index, Tourism Index and Human Development Index (HDI), among other factors.
Spaniards can travel to 43 countries without a passport and to another 106 nations without needing to apply for a visa. There are 11 destinations for which they need electronic authorization (such as the ESTA required to enter the United States) and 18 for which they require an electronic visa before traveling (India, Iran and Russia).
In another 18 countries, Spaniards need a traditional visa (Afghanistan, Cuba and Sudan) and there are 30 where they can obtain a visa upon arrival at the border (Egypt, Iraq and Saudi Arabia).
China no longer requires visas for Spaniards
One of the reasons why Spain has received this score is due to China's recent decision to abolish the regulations that required entry visas for six countries: Spain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Malaysia.
A decision that came into effect at the end of November and that, according to China, has been taken to boost tourism in the country and accelerate the economy after the pandemic.