Overview:
Palau’s passport ranks 83rd globally in 2026, giving Palauan travelers access to 120 destinations through visa-free, visa-on-arrival, simplified-entry and electronic travel authorization arrangements, according to Passport Reports. While Europe remains highly accessible, travel options are more limited across Asia and the Gulf. The ranking also shows Palau’s passport has slipped from 75th in 2025.
KOROR, Palau — The Palauan passport ranks 83rd globally in the latest 2026 passport ranking, with a Mobility Score of 120 and access to 60.6% of destinations worldwide, according to Passport Reports.
The ranking shows that Palauan passport holders can travel to 68 destinations without a visa. Another 46 destinations offer visa-on-arrival or simplified entry arrangements, while six require an electronic travel authorization, or eTA.
A total of 78 destinations require Palauan travelers to obtain a visa or prior approval.
Together, the visa-free, simplified-entry and eTA destinations account for Palau’s Mobility Score of 120. The report places Palau’s visa-free access at 34.3% of destinations, simplified-entry access at 23.2% and eTA access at 3%. Visa-required destinations account for 39.4%.
Passport Reports describes itself as an independent platform providing passport reports for 199 countries in 34 languages.
Palau ranks 10th in Oceania
Within Oceania, Palau ranks 10th among 14 countries included in the report.
Palauan travelers have visa-free access to five of the other 13 Oceania destinations covered, while six offer on-arrival or simplified entry. Australia and New Zealand are listed as requiring a visa or prior approval.
Visa-free destinations include Fiji, with stays of up to 120 days; Kiribati, up to 90 days; the Marshall Islands; the Federated States of Micronesia, up to 360 days; and Vanuatu, up to 120 days.
Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu are listed under on-arrival or simplified-entry arrangements.
Strong access in Europe
Europe remains one of the most accessible regions for Palauan travelers.
Of the 47 European destinations covered by the report, 40 are listed as visa-free, representing 85.1% of the region.
The United Kingdom is accessible through an eTA, with a listed stay of up to 180 days. Ukraine is listed under on-arrival or simplified entry, with an e-Visa also available.
Five European destinations — Albania, Belarus, Ireland, North Macedonia and Türkiye — require a visa or prior approval.
Many of Palau’s visa-free European destinations allow stays of up to 90 days, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Greece, Poland and the Nordic countries covered by the report.
Asia presents a more limited picture
Travel access is more mixed across Asia.
Of 50 Asian destinations covered, seven are visa-free for Palauan passport holders, 12 offer on-arrival or simplified entry, and two use eTA arrangements. The remaining 29 destinations, or 58%, require a visa or prior approval.
Visa-free destinations include the Philippines and South Korea for stays of up to 30 days, and Taiwan for up to 90 days. Malaysia and Singapore are also listed as visa-free, with arrival cards required.
Hong Kong SAR is listed as visa-free for 14 days.
Nepal, Armenia, Cambodia, India, Laos, Uzbekistan, Jordan and Vietnam are among destinations listed under simplified-entry arrangements, with several offering e-Visa options.
Japan, China, Indonesia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are among the Asian destinations listed as requiring a visa or prior approval.
Americas offer varied access
In South America, four of 12 destinations — Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Suriname — are visa-free for Palauan travelers.
Peru lists stays of up to 180 days, while Suriname requires a tourist card and allows up to 90 days.
Bolivia is listed under on-arrival or simplified entry, with an e-Visa also available. Seven South American destinations require a visa or prior approval.
In the Caribbean, seven of 16 destinations are visa-free, three offer on-arrival or simplified entry and six require a visa or prior approval.
Across the broader North America category, 10 of 23 destinations are visa-free, three offer simplified entry and 10 require a visa or prior approval.
The United States, Mexico and Panama are listed as visa-free destinations. Mexico allows a listed stay of up to 180 days and Panama up to 90 days.
Canada requires a visa or prior approval.
Gulf countries require visas
Travel to the six Gulf countries covered by the report requires a visa or prior approval, giving the region a 100% visa-required rate for Palauan passport holders.
The countries are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The report indicates electronic visa options for Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Across the wider Middle East, two of 17 destinations are visa-free, two offer on-arrival or simplified entry, one uses an eTA and 12 require a visa or prior approval.
Some destinations allow extended stays
The report highlights several destinations where Palauan travelers can stay for extended periods.
The Federated States of Micronesia is listed for stays of up to 360 days without a visa. Mexico and Peru each allow up to 180 days, while the United Kingdom’s eTA arrangement also lists stays of up to 180 days.
Nepal allows up to 150 days under its simplified-entry category, while Fiji, Vanuatu and Armenia list stays of up to 120 days.
Some destinations combine simplified travel access with additional requirements, such as arrival cards, tourist cards, tourist registration or pre-registration.
Palau ranks higher as a destination for foreign travelers
The report also ranks Palau 27th among 199 countries in its Welcoming Countries ranking.
That ranking measures how easily foreign passport holders can enter Palau. It is separate from the passport ranking, which measures the destinations available to Palauan passport holders.
The report lists 77 countries whose passport holders can enter Palau visa-free, with electronic permission or through an on-arrival arrangement, while Palauan passport holders face visa or prior-approval requirements when traveling to those countries.
Among those countries are Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, China, Indonesia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Brazil, Argentina and South Africa.
The report also identifies Bangladesh as an example of the reverse pattern: Bangladeshi passport holders require a visa to enter Palau, while Palauan travelers can enter Bangladesh under an on-arrival or simplified-entry arrangement for up to 30 days.
The report notes that these reciprocity indicators show differences in entry conditions between the two directions of travel but do not explain why those differences exist.
Palau’s ranking slips from 2025
The 2026 ranking represents a decline from Palau’s position the previous year.
Historical data in the report show Palau with a Mobility Score of 120 and a global rank of 80 in 2022. Its score rose to 123 in 2023, when it ranked 79th, and to 124 in 2024, when it ranked 77th.
In 2025, Palau recorded a Mobility Score of 122 and ranked 75th globally.
For 2026, its Mobility Score dropped to 120 and its global ranking fell to 83rd.
Overall, the 2026 ranking places the Palauan passport at 83rd worldwide and 10th among 14 countries in Oceania. Palauan passport holders have visa-free access to 68 destinations, on-arrival or simplified entry to 46 and eTA access to six, while 78 destinations require a visa or prior approval.
Source: Passport Reports