ExploPassport comparison · 2026 data
Australian passport vs American passport: which is stronger?
The Australian passport is stronger: it reaches 159 destinations without an embassy visit, 2 more than the American passport (157).
Side by side
| Measure | Australian passport | American passport |
|---|---|---|
| World rank | 24 of 197 | 32 of 197 |
| Without an embassy visit | 159 | 157 |
| Visa-free | 110 | 114 |
| Visa on arrival | 42 | 36 |
| eTA | 7 | 7 |
| e-Visa | 21 | 20 |
| Visa required | 16 | 19 |
Counts are out of the other 196 sovereign countries. “Without an embassy visit” is visa-free, visa on arrival and eTA together.
Places the Australian passport can enter without an embassy visit and the American passport cannot 5
Places the American passport can enter without an embassy visit and the Australian passport cannot 3
What both can enter
153 countries are open to both passports without an embassy visit. The two home countries are not counted in these lists.
Compare with another passport
Questions
Which is stronger, the Australian passport or the American passport?
The Australian passport is stronger: it reaches 159 destinations without an embassy visit, 2 more than the American passport (157). The Australian passport ranks 24 of 197 and the American passport ranks 32.
How many countries can the Australian passport and the American passport enter without an embassy visit?
The Australian passport: 159 (110 visa-free, 42 on arrival, 7 eTA). The American passport: 157 (114 visa-free, 36 on arrival, 7 eTA). Both count the 196 other sovereign countries.
Where can one passport go that the other cannot?
The Australian passport can enter 5 countries without an embassy visit that the American passport cannot, among them China, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Iran and Venezuela. The American passport can enter 3 countries without an embassy visit that the Australian passport cannot, among them Chile, São Tomé and Príncipe and Somalia. Both passports can enter 153 of the same countries without an embassy visit. The two home countries are left out of these counts.
How is passport strength measured here?
We count the other 196 sovereign countries a passport can enter with visa-free entry, a visa on arrival or an eTA. An e-Visa counts as a visa. The data is the open Passport Index dataset, last updated 18 February 2026. Other indexes count differently, so their rankings can differ, and rules change often, so check the official source before you book.
Go deeper
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Get ExploEntry rules come from the open Passport Index dataset by Ilya Ilyankou (MIT), last updated 18 February 2026. Governments change rules often, so treat this as a guide and check with the embassy or the official immigration site before you book.