Ireland
Ireland ends visa-free travel for Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Nicaragua from 15 June 2026
From 15 June 2026, citizens of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Nicaragua will need a visa…
The World Citizenship Report 2026, published by CS Global Partners on 14 January 2026, assesses 188 countries across five main pillars. Ireland holds first place with 85.1 points out of 100, followed by Switzerland (83.2) and Denmark (82.8). The report records a notable shift in the Quality of Life pillar, where Germany overtakes Norway for first place.
The global top 10
The top 10 overall comprises Ireland (85.1), Switzerland (83.2), Denmark (82.8), Australia and Norway tied in fourth (81.6), Germany (81.3), Finland (81.0), Japan (80.8), Sweden (80.1), the Netherlands and the United Kingdom tied in ninth (80.0), and Luxembourg (79.4).
The top 20 also includes Iceland (78.8), Austria, Belgium and Singapore tied in 12th (78.5), South Korea (77.2), Canada (77.1), the Czech Republic (76.9), Liechtenstein and the United States tied in 16th (76.8), Hong Kong (76.5), France (76.2), Portugal (76.1) and Estonia (75.9).
Leaders in each pillar
Each pillar in the report has a different group of leading countries, reflecting the differing strengths of each economy.
The Safety and Security pillar is led by Iceland with 90.5 points, followed by Switzerland (88.4) and Denmark (88.0). Finland is fourth (87.8) and Ireland fifth (87.6).
In the Economic Opportunity pillar, China takes first place with 89.3 points. The United States (81.3) and Ireland (80.3) complete the top three. The top 10 also includes India, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines and Malaysia.
The Quality of Life pillar shows a notable change, with Germany overtaking Norway for first place on 90.6 points. Norway is second (90.2), followed by Switzerland (89.7), Finland (89.6) and Sweden (89.5).
The Global Mobility pillar is led by Singapore with 91.0 points. Japan and South Korea are tied in second on 89.6. Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland are tied in third on 88.9.
The Financial Freedom pillar has Singapore in first place with 84.2 points. Denmark is second (84.0), followed by Finland (82.3), Switzerland (81.9) and Norway (79.9).
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Methodology
The report combines a quantitative method with a behavioural survey of 546 mass affluent individuals worldwide. The data is drawn from the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme and UN Tourism, with supplementary sources including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the CIA World Factbook.
The weighting of the five pillars is set according to a survey of participants’ priorities. Safety and Security accounts for 25%, Quality of Life 25%, Economic Opportunity 20%, Global Mobility 15% and Financial Freedom 15%.
Context
According to the report, Western countries continue to dominate the overall table, with 18 of the top 20 places going to European nations, the Anglosphere and their close allies. CS Global Partners is a citizenship and residence advisory firm based in Mayfair, London, founded in 2012.
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