this post was submitted on 25 Jul 2024
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The Australian passport is now more powerful. Here's where you can travel visa-free (www.sbs.com.au)
submitted 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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The Australian passport is now among the top five most powerful [based on visa-free access to countries], according to the latest rankings, which also show a Southeast Asian nation has retained its top spot. Here's how our little blue book fared.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Honestly, this is pretty impressive IMO. Particularly since visa-free travel is not reciprocal. The below is just plain wrong; Australia is even less open than it appears:

Ranked 83rd out of 99, Australia is one of the least open nations. Citizens of just 34 countries can visit Australia without prior visa authorisation

Barring some niche cases (e.g. royal family, military/crew, transiting, Torres Strait Islanders), only one country's citizens can travel to Australia without prior visa authorisation; New Zealand (and even they can be refused clearance at the border). Every other foreign country needs to apply for and be granted a visa before they are permitted to board the plane. Australia has somehow managed to convince 33 countries that their ETAs and eVisitor visas are not really visas. They just happen to be permission that a person needs to obtain before they are allowed to enter a country... If only we had a word for that.

I'm honestly surprised how well the Australian passport performs considering Australia effectively has a universal visa requirement. That being said, it's also one of the most expensive passports in the world.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I'm honestly surprised how well the Australian passport performs considering Australia effectively has a universal visa requirement.

Look at it from another country's immigration perspective:

  • G20 country
  • Modern public health system
  • Stable democracy/part of Commonwealth
  • Generally high per-capita earnings and education
  • Generally plays nice/aligned with local nations
  • Generally plays nice on the world stage

Ticks a lot of boxes, as in, we'd likely not cause any issues, we've got plenty of cash for our stay, and we'll go home once our visit is over.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

@dgriffith @Affidavit
#australia #passport
Our record on international relations isn't squeaky. Papua is basically an Australian mine. We essentially invaded east Timor. We routinely ignore obligations to less fortunate island nations. Our indigenous situation is a source of international shame.

Good passport though.