USA
Passport Value Index

USA Passport Access in 2026

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program offers a pathway to a US Green Card through capital investment, with the potential to apply for citizenship through naturalisation over time. A USA passport provides access to 211 of the world’s 227 destinations. That’s 93.0% of all worldwide destinations. This represents access to 80.2% of global GDP and 95.9% of the world’s most visited travel destinations, based on international visitor arrivals.

Countries & Territories Breakdown

US passport holders can access a high percentage of the world. This access breaks down into four main categories.

• 147 destinations fully visa-free
• 31 with visa on arrival
• 5 with a simple electronic travel authorization (eTA)
• 28 with an eVisa – straightforward online access that most passport indices ignore.

That leaves just 16 destinations in the world that require a traditional visa application – the slow route of sending your passport away, booking appointments, or queuing at an embassy or visa center.

But counting destinations doesn’t give the full picture.

Why Visa-Free Counts Don’t Tell the Whole Story

For years, passport rankings have focused almost entirely on one metric: the number of destinations accessible without a visa.

At La Vida, we believe this only tells part of the story. Visa-free access to an island nation doesn’t offer the same practical value as access to major economies, financial centers and the world’s busiest travel destinations.

Most passport indices treat every destination equally. Whether it’s access to France or a tiny Pacific island, each counts as one point. In reality, the destinations a passport unlocks vary enormously in terms of business opportunities, travel demand and economic importance.

La Vida Measures Passport Value Differently

That’s why we developed the La Vida Passport Value Index. Our passport comparison tool is built for one purpose: helping people decide whether a second citizenship is worth the investment, and which program delivers the most value for their situation. Rather than simply counting destinations, our methodology weights each one according to:

• Its share of global GDP (World Bank)
• Its share of international visitor arrivals (UN World Tourism Organisation)

On that basis, a US passport provides access to:

• $84.1 trillion of global GDP (80.2% of the world economy)
• 1,359.4 million international visitor arrivals (95.9% of worldwide travel)

In other words, the value of an American passport lies not only in the number of destinations it reaches, but in the significance of those destinations.

(You can read exactly how we calculate these figures in our Passport Value Data and Methodology.)

Travel Value – Top Destinations by Visitors

A US passport reaches most of the world’s most popular destinations, including France, Spain, Italy and Turkey. Each bar shows that country’s share of worldwide international arrivals.

What this means

A USA passport provides access to destinations that account for more than nineteen out of every twenty international leisure and business trips made worldwide.

Business Value – Top Destinations by GDP

Some of the largest economies by GDP that an American passport grants access to are Germany, Japan, India, the UK and France. Each bar shows that country’s share of global GDP.

What this means

A USA passport reaches destinations responsible for over 80% of global economic output, providing access to many of the world’s leading business and investment markets.

La Vida’s Expert Insight

A US passport combines strong global GDP access (80.2%) with near-total travel access (95.9%) – underpinned by the recognition and business credibility that comes with holding the passport of the world’s largest single economy. For investors comparing pathways, EB-5’s appeal lies less in destination count than in the platform it provides: direct access to the US market, US-based banking and business infrastructure, and eligibility for the investor’s spouse and unmarried children under 21.

The USA Citizenship Pathway

EB-5 is not a citizenship by investment program – it leads to a Green Card. Investors may become eligible to apply for citizenship via the naturalization route after five years of lawful permanent residency, provided they meet all applicable residence, physical-presence and other naturalization requirements. The petition-to-Green-Card stage of EB-5 itself typically takes several years on top of this, and considerably longer for investors from countries with EB-5 visa backlogs, so the realistic total timeline to citizenship should be treated as a multi-year commitment rather than a fixed number.

Why Passport Access Matters

A stronger passport can provide far more than easier travel. Depending on your objectives, improved international mobility may support:

• International business connections
• Family relocation planning
• Education opportunities
• Cross-border banking
• Property investment overseas
• Lifestyle flexibility
• Long-term geopolitical diversification
• Global tax efficiency

Discover What a USA Passport Could Add to Your Current Passport

When choosing a residency or citizenship by investment program, the fit between a second passport and your existing one is often overlooked. Your current passport already has its own visa access list – anything a second passport adds should complement those destinations. Doubling up on the same access offers no real benefit.

See what a USA passport would actually add for you, once available through the EB-5 program’s residency and naturalization route. Our free Passport Value Report tool compares your current passport with a USA passport (or any of the programs we offer) and shows the additional GDP access, travel access and destinations it would bring – personalized to your passport, not a generic ranking. La Vida is the only consultancy offering this level of analysis, and the report is free.

USA EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program: Residency by Investment

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program is the United States’ primary investment-based route to a Green Card. Investors must contribute at least $800,000 into a a qualifying EB-5 investment project, prove their funds are legally acquired, place the investment genuinely “at risk”, and have no prior criminal record. Most investors use the EB-5 Regional Center Program, pooling applications into large infrastructure or real estate projects – this structure allows the investor to take a passive role, while the Regional Center manages job creation and other requirements. EB-5 is not a citizenship by investment program: after obtaining a Green Card, applicants may apply for US citizenship after five years of Permanent Residency, a process known as naturalization.

La Vida offers over 18 residency and citizenship programs worldwide. We analyze not just visa-free travel, but the full picture – family eligibility, timescales, costs and long-term benefits – to identify the program that best fits your needs.

Read the full details of the USA’s EB-5 program, or register with us to receive your free report and speak to an advisor.

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