ExploPassport comparison · 2026 data
Spanish passport vs German passport: which is stronger?
The Spanish passport is stronger: it reaches 164 destinations without an embassy visit, 1 more than the German passport (163).
Side by side
| Measure | Spanish passport | German passport |
|---|---|---|
| World rank | 2 of 197 | 4 of 197 |
| Without an embassy visit | 164 | 163 |
| Visa-free | 125 | 124 |
| Visa on arrival | 31 | 31 |
| eTA | 8 | 8 |
| e-Visa | 18 | 18 |
| Visa required | 14 | 15 |
Counts are out of the other 196 sovereign countries. “Without an embassy visit” is visa-free, visa on arrival and eTA together.
Places the Spanish passport can enter without an embassy visit and the German passport cannot 1
Places the German passport can enter without an embassy visit and the Spanish passport cannot 0
None: every place the German passport reaches without an embassy visit is also open to the Spanish passport.
What both can enter
162 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 Spanish passport or the German passport?
The Spanish passport is stronger: it reaches 164 destinations without an embassy visit, 1 more than the German passport (163). The Spanish passport ranks 2 of 197 and the German passport ranks 4.
How many countries can the Spanish passport and the German passport enter without an embassy visit?
The Spanish passport: 164 (125 visa-free, 31 on arrival, 8 eTA). The German passport: 163 (124 visa-free, 31 on arrival, 8 eTA). Both count the 196 other sovereign countries.
Where can one passport go that the other cannot?
The Spanish passport can enter 1 country without an embassy visit that the German passport cannot, among them Nauru. There is no country that the German passport can enter without an embassy visit and the Spanish passport cannot. Both passports can enter 162 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
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.