Alex from South Africa lives in Singapore and frequently travels overseas for business and pleasure. But her passport is a big deterrent to free-and-easy travel — so much so that she is willing to “gladly” trade it for another.
“If someone offered me a different passport, or my children a different passport, I would grab it with both hands,” said Alex, who asked to be identified only by her first name for privacy reasons.
South Africa’s passport is at 51st position in The Henley Passport Index, which firmly places it in the middle of the global ranking that measures the number of destinations holders can visit without a travel visa.
People with strong passports, including friends, typically don’t understand the cost, time and frustrations of traveling on a passport that doesn’t sit near the top of the list, Alex said.
“Why do I have to upload every single page of my passport from 10 years ago to go on holiday to Australia? If you’re traveling for business, what you have to go through... is crazy.”
