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Shafaq News-
\nBaghdad<\/p>\n
The Iraqi
\npassport continues to rank among the world\u2019s weakest travel documents, placing
\n99th out of 101 in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, with visa-free access to
\njust 29 destinations.<\/p>\n
Regionally, Firas Ilyas, \u201cThe problem According to Ambassador Abd
\nIraq ranks<\/a> 20th among Arab states, second from last, ahead of Syria only. The
\nindex, which ranks 199 passports by the number of destinations accessible
\nwithout a prior visa, placed Afghanistan last at 101st, Syria at 100th, and
\nIraq at 99th. The 2026 edition marks a record mobility gap.<\/p>\n
\na professor of international relations at the University of Mosul, told Shafaq
\nNews that passport strength is not merely procedural, but reflects a state\u2019s
\nstanding in the international system and the level of trust it commands. He
\nattributed Iraq\u2019s low ranking to a compound trust deficit built over decades of
\nsuccessive wars, the post-2003 political and security upheaval, and the
\ncampaign against ISIS, all of which entrenched a negative perception among
\nforeign governments and drove stricter visa policies.<\/p>\n
\nis not with individuals, but with the general perception of the state they
\nbelong to,\u201d Ilyas clarified, adding that institutional weaknesses, particularly
\nin border management, documentation systems, and governance, reinforce that
\nperception. Advanced countries assess whether a state can control its citizens\u2019
\nmovement, prevent document fraud, and guarantee returns, while Iraq\u2019s fragile
\neconomy raises concerns over irregular migration, and the presence of armed
\ngroups outside formal state structures further \u201cundermines perceptions of
\nsovereignty.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nformer Transport Minister Salam Al-Maliki, the international community also
\nlinks passport strength to economic and security stability, noting that high
\nunemployment and difficult living conditions drive migration and
\nasylum-seeking, prompting stricter entry policies. He also cited the lack of
\nbilateral agreements<\/a>, limited diplomatic efforts to activate reciprocity with
\nkey countries, and currency instability and modest economic growth as factors
\nweighing on Iraq\u2019s passport ranking.<\/p>\n
\nFalah Abd Al-Hassan, head of the consular department at Iraq\u2019s Foreign
\nMinistry, pushed back on this characterization of the passport. \u201cThe Iraqi
\npassport is not the weakest; it is unsupported,\u201d he told Shafaq News, pointing
\nto the need for stronger media and logistical backing and for new bilateral
\nvisa-exemption agreements with countries willing to receive Iraqi travelers.<\/p>\n
\nAl-Hassan acknowledged that Iraq\u2019s trajectory since the 1980s, through wars,
\neconomic blockade, and prolonged instability, has made it a \u201cpush state,\u201d
\nleading foreign governments to view Iraqi passport holders as potential asylum
\nseekers. \u201cThe relationship between internal conditions and passport ranking is
\ndirect and significant,\u201d he said. \u201cAs security and the economy improve, the
\npassport\u2019s standing will rise and migration pressures will ease.\u201d He confirmed
\nthat the Foreign Ministry is working to accelerate new bilateral agreements.<\/p>\n