First index to rank quality of nationalities

A new index has been launched to rank the quality of nationalities worldwide. The Henley & Partners – Kochenov Quality of Nationality Index (QNI) explores both internal factors (such as the scale of the economy, human development, and peace and stability) and external factors (including visa-free travel and the ability to settle and work abroad without cumbersome formalities) that make one nationality better than another in terms of legal status in which to develop your talents and business.

The QNI consistently ranks the German nationality the highest in the world over the last five years with a score of 83.1%. The nationality of the Democratic Republic of Congo sits at the bottom of the index on 14.3%.

Professor Dr Dimitry Kochenov, a constitutional law professor, says the key premise of the index is that it’s possible to compare the relative worth of nationalities – as opposed to, simply, countries.

"Everyone has a nationality of one or more states. States differ to a great degree – Russia is huge – Swaziland is small; Luxembourg is rich – Mongolia is less so. Just as with the states, the nationalities themselves differ too. Importantly, there is no direct correlation between the power of the state and the quality of its nationality. Nationality plays a significant part in determining our opportunities and aspirations, and the QNI allows us, for the first time, to analyse this objectively."

The QNI uses an array of objective sources to gauge the opportunities and limitations that each nationality gives its owners.

Christian H. Kälin, Chairman of Henley & Partners, says the QNI is relevant to both individuals interested in the mobility, the possibilities and the limitations of their nationality, and governments focused on improving the local, regional and global opportunities inherent in their passports.

What is measured and how?

To calculate the internal value of each nationality, which comprises 40% of the score, the QNI takes into account three sub-elements:

The economic strength of the country, measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP): 15%

The scale of human development, as expressed by the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI): 15%

The level of peace and stability, according to the Global Peace Index (GPI): 10%

The external value of nationality accounts for 60% of the ranking score. “The more you are restrained by national borders, the less the value of your nationality; the less noticeable the borders, the higher the value. While many opt for a life at home, an increasing number of people want to build a new life somewhere else or live their lives transnationally”, explains Kälin. There are four sub-elements:

The diversity of settlement freedom: 15%

The weight of settlement freedom: 15%

The diversity of travel freedom: 15%

The weight of travel freedom: 15%

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