ExploPassport comparison · 2026 data
French passport vs Russian passport: which is stronger?
The French passport is stronger: it reaches 163 destinations without an embassy visit, 48 more than the Russian passport (115).
Side by side
| Measure | French passport | Russian passport |
|---|---|---|
| World rank | 4 of 197 | 74 of 197 |
| Without an embassy visit | 163 | 115 |
| Visa-free | 125 | 76 |
| Visa on arrival | 30 | 33 |
| eTA | 8 | 6 |
| e-Visa | 18 | 19 |
| Visa required | 15 | 62 |
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 Russian passport cannot 52
Places the Russian passport can enter without an embassy visit and the French passport cannot 4
What both can enter
111 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 Russian passport?
The French passport is stronger: it reaches 163 destinations without an embassy visit, 48 more than the Russian passport (115). The French passport ranks 4 of 197 and the Russian passport ranks 74.
How many countries can the French passport and the Russian passport enter without an embassy visit?
The French passport: 163 (125 visa-free, 30 on arrival, 8 eTA). The Russian passport: 115 (76 visa-free, 33 on arrival, 6 eTA). Both count the 196 other sovereign countries.
Where can one passport go that the other cannot?
The French passport can enter 52 countries without an embassy visit that the Russian passport cannot, among them Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, United Kingdom and Croatia. The Russian passport can enter 4 countries without an embassy visit that the French passport cannot, among them Myanmar, Cuba, Azerbaijan and Nauru. Both passports can enter 111 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.
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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.