These are the most expensive passports in the world

Freedom comes at a cost — and we know this all too well. But can we put a price on it?

Passports come in all colours and sizes, rankings and designs; but it is also important to note that the cost of obtaining a passport also defers one from the next.

In 2015, research conducted by The Independent revealed that the most expensive passport in the world was the Turkish passport, which cost $251 (£165), or about 95 hours of minimum wage work, according to rankings collated by GoEuro and presented by Statista.

After Turkey, Australia and Switzerland were found to have the most expensive passports, costing $206 (£135) and $159 (£105) respectively. The Mexican passport came fourth, costing $155 (£102) and taking 266 hours of minimum wage work to buy, and finally in fifth place was the United States passport which costs $135 (£89) and takes 19 hours of minimum wage work to afford.

Nearly five years later, The Passport Index uncovered an updated list with the world’s most expensive passports, revealing how volatile and valuable freedom of mobility has become in our ever-increasingly globalized world. Research notes that the cost of a new passport has increased by 41% over the past decade which was $200 in 2008.

Today, the Australian passport has been ranked as one of the most expensive passport in the world, costing a grand total of USD $282.

Next in the list, is the Turkish passport which has maintained its passport cost at £165, followed by Switzerland, New Zealand, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, and Singapore.

Although the Australian passport takes first place as most expensive passport for a citizen to acquire domestically, the Syrian passport does question its place, as it costs a whopping $350 for those who are not in the country and applying to obtain them overseas. This has been the case for many citizens who have fled the country since the outbreak of war, and are seeking to obtain their travel document at an overseas consulate.

The most expensive passports are not directly correlated with the most difficult to acquire. For those who are looking to increase their Global Mobility Score and obtain easier access of travel and visa-free destinations, should opt for acquiring a passport that brings them the most freedom of mobility. At the top of the list is the UAE in first place, followed by Germany, Finland, Luxembourg, and Spain in second place.

One of the most acclaimed passports upon investment at the top of the rankings, is Portugal in third place with a Global Mobility Score of 170. Learn how you can invest in a European citizenship and unlock many opportunities around the world today!

Please note that these values are constantly changing and we will update them accordingly!