Ireland vs South Korea Passport Comparison
Ireland
EUROPE
#4
Rank
Visa-Free Access185 countries
South Korea
ASIA
#3
Rank
Visa-Free Access187 countries
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Ireland | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-Free Destinations | 185 | 187 |
| 2026 Ranking | #4 | #3 |
| Global Mobility Score | 94/100 | 85/100 |
| Openness Score | 88/100 | 85/100 |
| Continent | EUROPE | ASIA |
| Schengen Member | Yes | Yes |
| Citizenship by Investment | No | No |
| Residency by Investment | No | No |
| Visa on Arrival | 33 | 40 |
| eTA Available | 16 | 15 |
| e-Visa Available | 24 | 20 |
| Visa Required | 15 | 16 |
Visa-Free Destinations
Ireland
185
South Korea
187
2026 Ranking
Global Mobility Score
Ireland
94/100
South Korea
85/100
Openness Score
Ireland
88/100
South Korea
85/100
Continent
Ireland
EUROPE
South Korea
ASIA
Schengen Member
Ireland
Yes
South Korea
Yes
Citizenship by Investment
Residency by Investment
Visa on Arrival
eTA Available
e-Visa Available
Visa Required
Comparison Summary & Recommendations
Overall Winner
South Korea
With 187 visa-free destinations, South Korea offers the most global mobility among the compared passports.
Schengen Area Access
Ireland
Ireland is a Schengen Area member, providing free movement across 27 European countries.
Most Unique Access
Ireland
Ireland provides exclusive visa-free access to 8 destinations not accessible with the other passports.
Key Insights
- • All compared passports share access to 130 common destinations
- • The strongest passport offers 187 visa-free destinations
- • Consider your travel priorities: business, leisure, or specific regions when choosing a passport
- • Visa requirements can change - always verify current entry requirements before traveling
Visa Access Analysis
Understanding the overlap and unique access each passport provides
130
Shared Destinations
8
Unique to Ireland
5
Unique to South Korea
Exclusive Visa-Free Access
Ireland
8 unique destinations
BoliviaCape Verde IslandsCayman IslandsMarshall IslandsUnited KingdomUgandaMalawiTajikistan
South Korea
5 unique destinations
GuamIrelandLaosNorthern Mariana IslandsVietnam
Shared Visa-Free Destinations (130)
Countries that all compared passports can access visa-free
JapanAlbaniaAndorraAnguillaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustriaBahamasBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBermudaBonaire; St. Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBruneiBulgariaChileColombiaCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCuracaoCyprusCzechiaDenmarkDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEl SalvadorEstoniaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench West IndiesThe GambiaGeorgiaGermanyGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenada+80 more destinations
Ranking Trends Over Time (Server Rendered)
Historical passport ranking comparison from 2006 to 2025 (lower rank is better)
2025 Snapshot
Ireland
Rank: #4
Visa-free: 191
South Korea
Rank: #3
Visa-free: 192
Recent Historical Ranks
| Year | Ireland | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4 (191) | #3 (192) |
| 2024 | #3 (192) | #2 (193) |
| 2023 | #6 (187) | #2 (192) |
| 2022 | #5 (187) | #2 (190) |
| 2021 | #5 (187) | #2 (190) |
| 2020 | #6 (186) | #3 (189) |
| 2019 | #6 (184) | #2 (188) |
| 2018 | #6 (185) | #3 (188) |
| 2017 | #5 (172) | #7 (170) |
| 2016 | #6 (172) | #6 (172) |
Each cell shows rank and visa-free count for that year.