ExploPassport comparison · 2026 data
South Korean passport vs Chinese passport: which is stronger?
The South Korean passport is stronger: it reaches 164 destinations without an embassy visit, 81 more than the Chinese passport (83).
Side by side
| Measure | South Korean passport | Chinese passport |
|---|---|---|
| World rank | 2 of 197 | 103 of 197 |
| Without an embassy visit | 164 | 83 |
| Visa-free | 114 | 41 |
| Visa on arrival | 41 | 38 |
| eTA | 9 | 4 |
| e-Visa | 17 | 29 |
| Visa required | 15 | 84 |
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 Korean passport can enter without an embassy visit and the Chinese passport cannot 85
Places the Chinese passport can enter without an embassy visit and the South Korean passport cannot 5
What both can enter
78 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 Korean passport or the Chinese passport?
The South Korean passport is stronger: it reaches 164 destinations without an embassy visit, 81 more than the Chinese passport (83). The South Korean passport ranks 2 of 197 and the Chinese passport ranks 103.
How many countries can the South Korean passport and the Chinese passport enter without an embassy visit?
The South Korean passport: 164 (114 visa-free, 41 on arrival, 9 eTA). The Chinese passport: 83 (41 visa-free, 38 on arrival, 4 eTA). Both count the 196 other sovereign countries.
Where can one passport go that the other cannot?
The South Korean passport can enter 85 countries without an embassy visit that the Chinese passport cannot, among them Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Portugal and United Kingdom. The Chinese passport can enter 5 countries without an embassy visit that the South Korean passport cannot, among them Myanmar, Cuba, Benin, Somalia and Suriname. Both passports can enter 78 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.