ExploPassport comparison · 2026 data
South Korean passport vs Spanish passport: which is stronger?
The South Korean passport and the Spanish passport are level: each reaches 164 destinations without an embassy visit.
Side by side
| Measure | South Korean passport | Spanish passport |
|---|---|---|
| World rank | 2 of 197 | 2 of 197 |
| Without an embassy visit | 164 | 164 |
| Visa-free | 114 | 125 |
| Visa on arrival | 41 | 31 |
| eTA | 9 | 8 |
| e-Visa | 17 | 18 |
| Visa required | 15 | 14 |
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 Spanish passport cannot 3
Places the Spanish passport can enter without an embassy visit and the South Korean passport cannot 3
What both can enter
160 countries are open to both passports without an embassy visit. The two home countries are not counted in these lists.
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Questions
Which is stronger, the South Korean passport or the Spanish passport?
The South Korean passport and the Spanish passport are level: each reaches 164 destinations without an embassy visit. The South Korean passport ranks 2 of 197 and the Spanish passport ranks 2.
How many countries can the South Korean passport and the Spanish passport enter without an embassy visit?
The South Korean passport: 164 (114 visa-free, 41 on arrival, 9 eTA). The Spanish passport: 164 (125 visa-free, 31 on arrival, 8 eTA). Both count the 196 other sovereign countries.
Where can one passport go that the other cannot?
The South Korean passport can enter 3 countries without an embassy visit that the Spanish passport cannot, among them India, Azerbaijan and Russia. The Spanish passport can enter 3 countries without an embassy visit that the South Korean passport cannot, among them Burkina Faso, Nauru and Somalia. Both passports can enter 160 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.