Tánaiste welcomes rise in global rankings for Irish passport

The Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin, has welcomed the announcement that the Irish passport is now ranked fourth highest in the world, in the Henley Passport Index. The Henley ranking measures passports of the world according to the number of countries their holders can travel to visa-free.

Welcoming this announcement, the Tánaiste said:

"I am very proud to see the Irish passport rise in the rankings from sixth to fourth in the latest Henley Passport Index rankings. The ranking demonstrates again the value and power of the Irish passport and how well it is regarded internationally.

"I would also like to congratulate staff of the Passport Service as this achievement reflects the major efforts undertaken at all levels of the Passport Service to protect the integrity of the passport. Their work ensures that the Irish citizens continue to have access to a secure travel document, while also meeting the challenges of increases in application numbers and the need for technological advancement.

"2023 continues to be a busy year for the Passport Service and I would advise all citizens, including first time applicants, to apply using Passport Online. All Irish citizens can renew their passport book and passport card, from anywhere in the world. Irish citizens can also apply for first times passports online if they are resident in over 70 countries around the world. Over 90 percent of citizens now use Passport Online as it is the quickest, cheapest and most efficient way to apply for your passport."