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If you haven’t heard about the term ‘passport privilege’ before then this blog is for you!
The other day I mentioned to my dad how some members of a family I know in Nicaragua have had problems getting visas to visit their relatives here in Canada. Two family members have been issued visas to visit, however another two have been rejected after their first application.
My dad was confused and said, “You mean they can’t just come and visit?”
It reminded me that a lot of people in countries like Canada, where we are rather privileged, don’t realize how hard it is for people in other countries to travel around the globe as we do. Here’s an example to start.
As a Canadian traveling to Nicaragua, we are given a free visa upon arrival and are allowed to stay in the country for 90 days. Even with COVID travel restrictions—we are still allowed to enter but just require a test prior to arrival along with a completed form.
As a Nicaraguan visiting Canada, one must apply for a visa before hand. The cost of the visa is $100 from the Canadian government, but there are additional administration fees during the application process. They require several forms, and sometimes even require biometrics to be provided —which would require an in person office visit. This process can take around 6 months. So no, no last minute trips. More importantly it makes it difficult for people trying to visit family or friends.
Today I am going to talk about what passport privilege is, and our responsibility if we are privileged. If you prefer to watch, remember you can always check out my Youtube channel.
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What is Passport Privilege?
Passport privilege is the ability to travel freely to other countries, without visa applications or fees, which is dependent on which passport you possess. For most of us, this is based on where we born, and who our parents are.
I find it very interesting that because of recent COVID-19 travel restrictions, many of us who are passport privileged have been able to get a taste (though a very mild one) of what it is like to travel for those who are not so privileged.
Extensive planning, extra fees, forms, and lots of time —these are things many people on our planet are used to doing prior to travel.
I want to take a look on both ends of the spectrum—the most privileged and the least privileged passport holders. Check out this website if you feel like investigating some specific countries!
Right now, the most powerful passport is Germany’s. These passport holders are allowed entry into 101 countries FOR FREE, are allowed into 34 countries with a visa on arrival, and are required to apply and pay for a visa prior to arrival for 63 countries.
The least powerful passport at the moment is Iraq’s. They are allowed free entry into 3 countries, a visa on arrival for 27, and visa prior to arrival for 168 countries.
Can we just emphasize this difference for a moment?
Free entry into 101 countries VS 3? This really blows my mind. Visa required for 168 countries…That number is essentially the entire world!
There are many inequities among people on this planet, and freedom to travel is definitely one of them!
For my Canadian friends—we are allowed free entry into 66 countries, visa upon arrival for 41, and require visas for 89 countries. We are not as elite as the Germans, but the world is still very much our oyster.
So now that we’ve taken a moment to be grateful for the mobility we have to explore the planet. I want to talk about what our responsibility is to have this passport privilege.
What Should I Do If I Have Passport Privilege?
In Nepal I stayed in small village and volunteered at a small school during my year-long travel adventure. A friend I made there made me think about the importance of this responsibility more closely.
He said,
“If we have the means [to travel] we should understand and be aware of the differences in the world and try to make a change.”
I’ll break this into two parts.
1. Be aware.
This means travelling while observing, learning, and not damaging. Recognize your privilege and travel with respect for the land and people. This is the least we can do.
2. Make a change.
OK I know you’re probably thinking, “How am I supposed to make a difference in the local’s life on a week trip?”
Don’t panic! Obviously the majority of us aren’t equipped to donate any large sums of money or start any non-profits. There are actually a few simple ways you can contribute, even if you are on a short trip.
To Summarize...
Here’s a quick list of some ways to pitch in:
1. Eating and staying local: choose locally run guesthouses and restaurants as opposed to larger franchises.
2. Purchasing handmade souvenirs/items: choose local vendors rather than big box stores.
3. Booking with locally owned and operated tour companies: booking them after you arrive in person as opposed to online before hand is usually a good way to do this.
I don’t think that’s asking for a lot, these things are fairly easy to do. Just by doing these few things, we are helping to contribute to the wellbeing of local people who might be less privileged than us (depending on where we are travelling of course).
In reality I would suggest doing these things at home as well. Buying local supports your own people!
To sum up this blog I’ll state the following…
Passport privilege exists, and those of us who are privileged should be grateful for the opportunities that we have.
We should be aware of this, and observe how different other parts in the world are if we choose to travel.
If we choose to travel, we should do so as responsibly and respectfully as we can, and contribute in whatever ways available to us, no matter how menial they seem.
That’s it for today’s travel thoughts. Thanks so much for reading!
If you found this blog insightful don’t forget to share it with a friend who would also find it interesting 🙂
Wishing you wonderful future travels—no matter what end of the passport privilege spectrum you are on!
Don’t forget to Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Substack for more!
Much love,
Danika
