Benin, The Gambia, Rwanda and the Seychelles continue to occupy the top spot on the AVOI even this year. 16 of the top-20 ranked countries are located in West and Eastern Africa in equal parts (8 in West Africa and 8 in East Africa). North Africa is represented by one country (Mauritania) whilst Southern Africa accounts for three countries, namely Madagascar, Mauritius and Mozambique.
Eighteen of the top-20 countries on the AVOI are classified as either lower-middle-income, or low-income countries, suggesting that lower income countries are often more embracing of liberal visa regimes. In contrast, several of the higher income countries continue to maintain restrictive visa regimes, perhaps owing to concerns around visa openness incentivizing inbound travel for purely economic reasons or creating pathways to irregular migration. It should be noted that visa-openness, as measured by the AVOI, relates to casual travel and is not linked to other rights, such as the right to undertake business activities, or take up residence.
Nevertheless, two of the top-20 countries, classified as upper-middle-income (Mauritius) and high-income (Seychelles), are an exception, and may be explained in the context of their geographic location as Island States, and not typically subject to the same travel and migration routes as countries with land borders. As is shown in the graphic on the following page, five of the top-20 countries on the AVOI are Island States (Cabo Verde, Comoros, Mauritius, Madagascar and Seychelles). Their visa policies range from visa-free to visa-on-arrival, or a combination of both.
Three of the landlocked countries rank in the top 20, and these are Rwanda, Burundi and Ethiopia. Burundi takes a predominantly visa-on-arrival approach for all citizens from other African countries, apart from those of six EAC Member States, who are granted visa free entry. Ethiopia also offers a visa-on-arrival to citizens of 46 countries, while citizens of four countries that previously qualified for a visa-on-arrival are now required to obtain this ahead of travel.
