Passport comparison · 2026 data
Russian passport vs Indian passport: which is stronger?
The Russian passport is stronger: it reaches 115 destinations without an embassy visit, 58 more than the Indian passport (57).
Side by side
| Measure | Russian passport | Indian passport |
|---|---|---|
| World rank | 74 of 197 | 144 of 197 |
| Without an embassy visit | 115 | 57 |
| Visa-free | 76 | 26 |
| Visa on arrival | 33 | 28 |
| eTA | 6 | 3 |
| e-Visa | 19 | 46 |
| Visa required | 62 | 93 |
Counts are out of the other 196 sovereign countries. “Without an embassy visit” is visa-free, visa on arrival and eTA together.
Places the Russian passport can enter without an embassy visit and the Indian passport cannot 59
Places the Indian passport can enter without an embassy visit and the Russian passport cannot 1
What both can enter
56 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 Russian passport or the Indian passport?
The Russian passport is stronger: it reaches 115 destinations without an embassy visit, 58 more than the Indian passport (57). The Russian passport ranks 74 of 197 and the Indian passport ranks 144.
How many countries can the Russian passport and the Indian passport enter without an embassy visit?
The Russian passport: 115 (76 visa-free, 33 on arrival, 6 eTA). The Indian passport: 57 (26 visa-free, 28 on arrival, 3 eTA). Both count the 196 other sovereign countries.
Where can one passport go that the other cannot?
The Russian passport can enter 59 countries without an embassy visit that the Indian passport cannot, among them Montenegro, Türkiye, Georgia, Armenia, Vietnam and South Korea. The Indian passport can enter 1 country without an embassy visit that the Russian passport cannot, among them Bhutan. Both passports can enter 56 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
Keep exploring
Entry rules · 4 min readHow strong is your passport? What visa-free scores tell youWe counted how many countries each of 197 passports can enter without an embassy visit. The spread is huge, and the number is still not the whole story.
Entry rules · 3 min readDual citizenship: which passport should you travel with?With two passports you can choose the easier entry, but the rules are not always simple. How to pick, when to show which and the mistakes to avoid.
Entry rules · 4 min readHow to check visa requirements before you book a tripA step-by-step way to check entry rules for your passport: what to look up, which sources to trust, and the details people only discover at the airport.
- Email alertsVisa rule change alertsOne short email when an entry rule changes for your passport.
- Free toolPassport validity checkerIs your passport valid for long enough for this trip?
- Free toolWhere can I go?Every country your passport opens, sorted by how easy it is.
Plan the trips your passport opens up
Explo is a free app: light up the countries you have visited, save the ones you dream about, and check visa rules, weather and holidays before you go.
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.