Passport validity reflects citizens’ credibility
Passport validity reflects citizens’ credibility
Passports of countries whose citizens can travel to many other countries without a visa demonstrate the international credibility of the issuing government.
Thus, the international credibility of the governments of South Korea and Singapore, whose citizens can travel to 190 and 193 countries without a visa, is greater than that of countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan, whose citizens can only travel visa-free to 32 and 25 countries.
A valid passport provides more choices, lower costs, and easier mobility for leisure, work, and educational travel.
Conversely, passports with low or no credibility impose costly restrictions on citizens. The passport issued by the Islamic Republic has become discredited due to conflicts, sanctions, and international isolation, allowing Iranian citizens visa-free entry to only 42 countries worldwide. This article examines the validity of the Islamic Republic’s passport and its economic, social, and psychological costs for Iranians.
Restrictions for Iranian tourists
The first cost of the invalidity of the Islamic Republic’s passport is the creation of restrictions and increased costs for tourism.
While a citizen of the European Union and Canada can travel to 189 countries without a visa, Iranians need to obtain a visa to travel to more than 180 countries, and obtaining visas for the US and Europe is also very difficult for them.
In addition to these restrictions, the financial costs and time required to obtain a visa are also challenging.
While a holder of a valid passport spends all travel expenses on tourism and leisure, an Iranian citizen, even before traveling, must pay $80 to $150 for a 90-day Schengen visa to 27 European countries, which, along with document costs and others, will amount to about $500. Moreover, they must worry about their application being rejected. Unfortunately, the credibility of the Islamic Republic’s passport is among the lowest even in the Middle East, troubled by tensions and terrorism.
Missed opportunities for Iranian economic activists
The example we provided was related to tourism and leisure, but visas are also needed for work and business.
In this regard, the invalid passport of the Islamic Republic is costly and opportunity-wasting for Iranian entrepreneurs, traders, and investors.
An Iranian involved in participating in exhibitions, signing contracts, and opening representations abroad must spend time obtaining a visa, which might waste time and give competitors an advantage.
Aside from wasting time, which is undoubtedly one of the most important factors in economic competition, an Iranian trader must spend at least $200 to $500 for each business visa to participate in foreign trade exhibitions, and if, as is customary, they wish to travel with colleagues, their travel costs will skyrocket. The Islamic Republic’s passport even ranks among the lowest in credibility among Islamic countries.
Among 36 Islamic countries, Iran ranks 27th, far below leaders like the UAE, Turkey, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, and only above Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
In essence, the Islamic Republic’s passport has also undermined and continues to undermine Iranians’ economic opportunities.
The limitations on cooperation with international banks and companies due to sanctions from conflicts are another issue.
Iranian youth missing out on overseas education
The Islamic Republic’s passport is also costly for Iranian students.
An Iranian youth must undergo a lengthy and costly process to obtain a student visa for the USA, Canada, and Europe.
The average cost for the USA is $350, and with other legal documents, it exceeds $500.
Moreover, there is the unfortunate possibility that after spending all this money, their student visa application might be rejected.
Beyond the issue of student visas, it should be noted that many developed countries grant residence and work permits to foreign graduates with valid passports, but they are stricter with Iranian students. In the smart global economy, preventing youth from studying means the country falls behind in progress and cross-border competitiveness.
Final remarks
What has been discussed pertains to financial costs.
However, an invalid passport also has psychological costs.
Unfortunately, an Iranian traveler fears interrogation, deportation, and wasting time and money due to their invalid passport, which harms their body and mind.
The publication of data on passport power began in the late 1990s, and statistics on countries that accepted Iranian citizens without a visa or with an airport visa before the February 1979 revolution are not easily accessible.
It would be beneficial for a researcher to refer to the archives of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Library and Archives of Iran, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and historical documents to obtain systematic statistics.
What we do know is that before the revolution, the Iranian passport allowed much more and easier global mobility for Iranian citizens, and its credibility was not less, if not more, than that of South Korea, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, China, and Vietnam.
Where was an Iranian citizen forced to pay so much financial and psychological cost and face humiliation in foreign countries? The decline in the Iranian passport’s credibility is an inevitable consequence of conflict, isolation, and sanctions, for which the Islamic regime is responsible, and it has burdened the Iranian citizen with heavy costs from visa expenses to trade and educational restrictions and psychological harm.