Sweden Drops to 6th in the Passport Ranking, Despite Being Seen as a Global Mobility Leader

For immigration lawyers and professional agents, explaining to clients the logic behind obtaining a second citizenship or a residence permit through investment is becoming more complex. In the past, it was often enough to show a map of visa-free destinations and a general “mobility level.”

But as the Entry/Exit System (EES) is fully rolled out across the EU in 2026 and geopolitical risk factors continue to grow, relying on a single metric—such as “how many countries can be visited visa-free”—is no longer enough for a high-quality consultation to HNW clients (high-net-worth individuals).

Based on a multi-dimensional analysis in the new PassportRanking platform by Globevisa Group, an important pattern has emerged. In the traditional logic of investment migration, Sweden and Finland are often perceived as having the “strongest passports,” mainly due to extremely high global access. In the Mobility index, they even share the top spot.

However, once the evaluation model expands from one parameter—visa-free travel—to five dimensions (governance, security, education, and life quality), the picture changes. In the final passport ranking, Sweden falls to 6th place worldwide, while Finland drops to 8th.

The key driver of this divergence is the Security score. According to PassportRanking, Sweden ranks 39th in the security index, while Finland ranks 44th. Even though Reuters notes a decline in Sweden’s peak crime levels in 2025, public safety remains a significant social topic.

Against the backdrop of ongoing security tension across Europe, these differences directly affect how HNW families assess the risks of European residency and citizenship programs.

That’s why, for investors looking for “safe-haven assets” during periods of uncertainty, the gap between mobility and security-related characteristics becomes a key risk factor to consider when making decisions about dual citizenship or an investment-based residence permit in 2026.

Shifting the focus: from “breadth of travel” to long-term risk resilience in investment migration

In practice, professionals note that client priorities are changing. The question “where can I go” is gradually giving way to “where will it be more stable.”

A telling example is Switzerland. If you assess only travel convenience (visa-free access), Switzerland ranks 12th in Mobility on PassportRanking. For clients who value maximum “flexibility right now,” Switzerland may seem less attractive than Spain or Italy—both of which share 3rd place for mobility.

But if you look at residency, the picture is different: in the Governance dimension, Switzerland ranks 1st in the world; in Security, it ranks 3rd; and in Education, it ranks 4th.

This suggests that when clients request a residence permit or citizenship, they often choose more than just a “travel document.” They look for a more predictable environment: a stable legal framework, high standards of public safety, and an already established education system.

From a consulting and wealth management perspective, the value of a second passport or residency status goes beyond the document itself. It’s a way to build a comprehensive mobility solution that supports long-term planning and reduces uncertainty.

Why assessment is getting harder: updated models reflect policy volatility

Why does the industry need a more complex evaluation matrix? The direct reason is rising instability in the rules themselves.

Consider the European Golden Visa programs. Over the past year, Portugal, Greece, and Spain have introduced different adjustments to investment-based residency schemes: narrowing routes, raising investment thresholds, and closing certain categories.

Within PassportRanking logic, these changes fall under the Governance dimension. Frequent rule updates often signal broader challenges to institutional stability and policy continuity. For applicants who need a long-term European status, these signals are frequently more important than short-term marketing promises.

The education dimension works similarly. According to PassportRanking, Germany ranks 1st for education, while Australia ranks 2nd. For families whose main goal is their children’s educational trajectory, the long-term value of the education system remains significant even when thresholds are higher and processing times are longer.

The practical value of a five-factor passport ranking model

The core benefit of the PassportRanking platform by Globevisa Group is to combine previously scattered parameters into a clear comparison system for second citizenship and residency.

The model includes five dimensions:

• Mobility: accounts for the number of visa-free destinations and applies additional weight for residency rights arising from agreements (important for real mobility).
• Governance: evaluates the rule of law, AML compliance (for example, whether the country appears on OECD “grey lists”), and the stability of immigration policy.
• Security: reflects the level of social security and geopolitical risk factors in the target region.
• Education: is based on the quality of public education and the presence of strong universities.
• Life Quality: aggregates indicators for healthcare, GDP per capita, and environmental factors.

This structure helps investment migration professionals move beyond discussions of “visa-free numbers only” when comparing residency options around the world.

Instead, the assessment incorporates rule stability, social security, the educational environment, and overall quality of life. When two destinations are close on mobility, it is often Governance, Education, and Security that become decisive for the investor’s final choice.

A holistic tool for decision-making

The investment migration industry is entering a phase where data, stability, and long-term value matter more and more.

The advisory role is shifting from the task of “collecting documents and running the process” to something more practical: helping clients choose the most suitable long-term status—citizenship or residency through investment.

That’s why a model that considers mobility, governance, security, education, and life quality at the same time becomes an important tool for making the right selection.

For applicants, the final value is not only a higher position in the ranking. It’s a status that will be durable, predictable, and aligned with long-term plans.

We invite immigration industry specialists worldwide to use PassportRanking. It’s not just a leaderboard—it’s a rational professional tool that helps navigate the complex needs of HNW clients amid a constantly changing global migration landscape.

If you’re considering a golden visa, an investment residence permit, or citizenship by investment, don’t rely only on “visa-free access” and overall mobility. As passport rankings show, once the model expands to include factors like security, governance, and quality of life, country positions can shift significantly—meaning your risk picture and travel comfort also change. The Digital Nomad team helps you assess an immigration plan based on up-to-date criteria and real-world scenarios for HNWI.

Our Telegram channel about various types of Greek residence permits, digital nomad programs, and the Greek Golden Visa: @digitalnomadgr