22 July 2019
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St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Lucia are among the most powerful passports in the Eastern Caribbean, according to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Henley Passport Index, compiled by global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners, scored countries from all over the world based on how many other destinations citizens can access without having to obtain a visa prior to travel.
St Kitts and Nevis held onto the top spot on the Index, among the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) member States, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 152, and 26 worldwide in terms of its passport's strength. The island gain visa-free access to Serbia, while losing visa-on-arrival access to Djibouti and Benin due to the adoption of an e-visa policy in these territories.
The takeaway is that our passport continues to shine as a highly sort after passport, which translates to better quality investment opportunities for the island"
The rankings were decided using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Antigua and Barbuda secured the second spot in the OECS, on the Index, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 147. The twin-island ranks 29 globally while losing visa-on-arrival access to Djibouti and Benin due to the adoption of an e-visa policy in these territories.
Saint Lucia captured the fourth spot in the OECS, on the Henley Passport Index, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 144. A move one rank up from the Q2, due to movements higher up on the index.
"The people of St Kitts and Nevis continue to be humbled by the island's ranking on the index. Henley & Partners will continue to work assiduously together with the government of St Kitts and Nevis to ensure we continue to experience growth on the index. The takeaway is that our passport continues to shine as a highly sort after passport, which translates to better quality investment opportunities for the island," Chanée Isaac, managing partner of Henley & Partners St Kitts and Nevis, said in a statement.
Managing partner of Henley & Partners Antigua and Barbuda, Gaye Hechme, added: "The people of Antigua and Barbuda remain confident in the power of the Antiguan and Barbudan passport. Henley & Partners will continue to work closely with the government of Antigua and Barbuda to ensure that the power of our passport continues to experience growth."
