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From Henley & Partners 

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts and Nevis — St. Kitts and Nevis is once again capturing the No. 1 spot on the Henley Passport Index for the OECS region. For the second time in a row, the twin-island ranks third in the Caribbean, securing the best passport in the OECS on the 2018 ranking.

The Henley Passport Index, which is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), has recently been updated through extensive research to include eight new travel destinations. According to Dr. Christian H. Kälin, group chairman of Henley & Partners, “this addition means that the index now encompasses almost all of the world’s destinations for which travel information is publicly available, making it the most robust index of its kind. The Henley Passport Index surveys a total of 199 different passports against 227 different travel destinations, including countries, territories and micro-states. The index is innovating the way we map and measure travel freedom, making it easier for individuals to understand where exactly they lie on the spectrum of global mobility.”

Discussing the Caribbean region, Dr. Suzette Haughton, a senior lecturer in geography at the University of the West Indies, notes that countries such as Grenada, Haiti and the Dominican Republic are actively strengthening their passport power through engagement with powerful Asian and Middle Eastern states — with this engagement visible in the migration space as well as in the travel space. “A major development to watch in the upcoming quarter concerns the increasing mobility of Chinese and Taiwanese business migrants into the Caribbean region, coupled with the alignment of individual Caribbean countries’ national interest concerns with those of either China or Taiwan,” she said.

Managing partner for Henley & Partners St. Kitts and Nevis Chanée Isaac says that the new results come as no surprise, as her team has been working closely with the government of St. Kitts and Nevis and its Citizenship-by-Investment Unit to ensure that the nation maintains its platinum brand. “For St. Kitts and Nevis, this means more prospects for investments, which translates into economic growth and improved quality of life,” she said. “St. Kitts and Nevis is continuing to improve its product as a first-class CIP territory, and our efforts are recognized through this most recent achievement.”

St. Kitts and Nevis not only remains No. 1 in the region, but it has also improved its global ranking, jumping from 30th position in 2017 to 24th position in 2018 year-to-date, now offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 151 destinations.

Boasting cutting-edge expert commentary and historical data spanning 13 years, the Henley Passport Index is a ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access visa-free. The only ranking based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information, the Henley Passport Index is enhanced by extensive, ongoing research by the Henley & Partners academic team. The index is updated in real-time, as and when visa-policy changes come into effect. Along with the Henley & Partners – Kochenov Quality of Nationality Index, it is considered the leading reference tool for global citizens and governments alike.

The Henley Passport Index website provides up-to-date, printable lists of the countries you can access visa-free, with an electronic visa (e-Visa), with a visa on arrival, or with a normal visa. It also allows you to compare the strength of passports and understand how you might improve your travel freedom with alternative citizenship. Visit the website to view and download the global ranking and find out more about the power of your passport.

The Henley Passport Index is the original passport index and the only one of its kind that includes detailed insights from leading regional specialists, researchers, and commentators on the major trends affecting travel, migration, and visa policy.