ExploPassport comparison · 2026 data
South African passport vs Filipino passport: which is stronger?
The South African passport is stronger: it reaches 96 destinations without an embassy visit, 32 more than the Filipino passport (64).
Side by side
| Measure | South African passport | Filipino passport |
|---|---|---|
| World rank | 94 of 197 | 130 of 197 |
| Without an embassy visit | 96 | 64 |
| Visa-free | 58 | 34 |
| Visa on arrival | 33 | 27 |
| eTA | 5 | 3 |
| e-Visa | 29 | 41 |
| Visa required | 71 | 90 |
| No admission | 0 | 1 |
Counts are out of the other 196 sovereign countries. “Without an embassy visit” is visa-free, visa on arrival and eTA together.
Places the South African passport can enter without an embassy visit and the Filipino passport cannot 40
Places the Filipino passport can enter without an embassy visit and the South African passport cannot 9
What both can enter
55 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 South African passport or the Filipino passport?
The South African passport is stronger: it reaches 96 destinations without an embassy visit, 32 more than the Filipino passport (64). The South African passport ranks 94 of 197 and the Filipino passport ranks 130.
How many countries can the South African passport and the Filipino passport enter without an embassy visit?
The South African passport: 96 (58 visa-free, 33 on arrival, 5 eTA). The Filipino passport: 64 (34 visa-free, 27 on arrival, 3 eTA). Both count the 196 other sovereign countries.
Where can one passport go that the other cannot?
The South African passport can enter 40 countries without an embassy visit that the Filipino passport cannot, among them Georgia, Armenia, South Korea, Oman, Qatar and Jordan. The Filipino passport can enter 9 countries without an embassy visit that the South African passport cannot, among them Vietnam, Myanmar, Taiwan, Mongolia, Morocco and Colombia. Both passports can enter 55 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.