ExploPassport comparison · 2026 data
French passport vs Italian passport: which is stronger?
The French passport and the Italian passport are level: each reaches 163 destinations without an embassy visit.
Side by side
| Measure | French passport | Italian passport |
|---|---|---|
| World rank | 4 of 197 | 4 of 197 |
| Without an embassy visit | 163 | 163 |
| Visa-free | 125 | 124 |
| Visa on arrival | 30 | 31 |
| eTA | 8 | 8 |
| e-Visa | 18 | 18 |
| Visa required | 15 | 15 |
Counts are out of the other 196 sovereign countries. “Without an embassy visit” is visa-free, visa on arrival and eTA together.
Places the French passport can enter without an embassy visit and the Italian passport cannot 0
None: every place the French passport reaches without an embassy visit is also open to the Italian passport.
Places the Italian passport can enter without an embassy visit and the French passport cannot 0
None: every place the Italian passport reaches without an embassy visit is also open to the French passport.
What both can enter
162 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 French passport or the Italian passport?
The French passport and the Italian passport are level: each reaches 163 destinations without an embassy visit. The French passport ranks 4 of 197 and the Italian passport ranks 4.
How many countries can the French passport and the Italian passport enter without an embassy visit?
The French passport: 163 (125 visa-free, 30 on arrival, 8 eTA). The Italian passport: 163 (124 visa-free, 31 on arrival, 8 eTA). Both count the 196 other sovereign countries.
Where can one passport go that the other cannot?
There is no country that the French passport can enter without an embassy visit and the Italian passport cannot. There is no country that the Italian passport can enter without an embassy visit and the French passport cannot. Both passports can enter 162 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.