United Kingdom
- Franceup to 90 days
- Singaporeup to 90 days
- Thailandup to 60 days
- Japanup to 90 days
- United Statesup to 90 days
EUROPE
The United Kingdom passport remains one of the most powerful travel documents globally, offering high levels of travel mobility for British citizens. As of 2026, the U...
EUROPE
The France passport is among the most powerful travel documents globally, currently holding a high position in the 2026 passport ranking. Offering exceptional travel m...
This comparison analyzes visa-free access, ranking trends, and mobility metrics for United Kingdom vs France. France currently leads this comparison with 185 visa-free destinations, while United Kingdom has 182. Use the detailed sections below to compare practical travel access and historical changes.
| Metric | United Kingdom | France |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-Free Destinations | 182 | 185 |
| 2026 Ranking | 7 | 4 |
| Global Mobility Score | 20/100 | 83/100 |
| Openness Score | 87/100 | 94/100 |
| Continent | EUROPE | EUROPE |
| Schengen Member | Yes | Yes |
| Citizenship by Investment | No | No |
| Residency by Investment | Yes | No |
| Visa on Arrival | 32 | 25 |
| eTA Available | 13 | 15 |
| e-Visa Available | 22 | 23 |
| Visa Required | 20 | 16 |
France
With 185 visa-free destinations, France offers the most global mobility among the compared passports.
United Kingdom
United Kingdom is a Schengen Area member, providing free movement across 27 European countries.
United Kingdom
United Kingdom offers a Residency by Investment program for those seeking alternative pathways.
France
France provides exclusive visa-free access to 11 destinations not accessible with the other passports.
Understanding the overlap and unique access each passport provides
3 unique destinations
11 unique destinations
Countries that all compared passports can access visa-free
Historical passport ranking comparison from 2006 to 2026 (lower rank is better)
| Year | United Kingdom Rank | France Rank | United Kingdom Visa-free | France Visa-free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 3 | 3 | 128 | 128 |
| 2007 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | 6 | 6 | 152 | 152 |
| 2009 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 | 5 | 166 | 161 |
| 2011 | 3 | 3 | 171 | 171 |
| 2012 | 3 | 3 | 167 | 167 |
| 2013 | 1 | 4 | 173 | 170 |
| 2014 | 1 | 3 | 174 | 172 |
| 2015 | 1 | 3 | 173 | 171 |
| 2016 | 3 | 3 | 175 | 175 |
| 2017 | 4 | 4 | 173 | 173 |
| 2018 | 5 | 3 | 186 | 188 |
| 2019 | 6 | 4 | 184 | 186 |
| 2020 | 7 | 6 | 185 | 186 |
| 2021 | 7 | 5 | 185 | 187 |
| 2022 | 6 | 4 | 186 | 188 |
| 2023 | 6 | 6 | 187 | 187 |
| 2024 | 4 | 1 | 191 | 194 |
| 2025 | 5 | 3 | 190 | 192 |
| 2026 | 7 | 4 | 182 | 185 |
Each cell shows rank and visa-free count for that year.
Destinations
Representative destinations that highlight each passport's strongest visa-free access profile.
Resources
Primary government and immigration sources for policy verification before travel.