The Hidden Costs of Global Visa Inequality

Those who are not allowed to travel cannot help shape the future. Visa inequality affects millions of people—yet it often remains invisible. New data reveals just how structurally skewed global mobility really is.

Reading time: 3 min 29. May 2026 Author: Davide Bracci and Kenji Maghoma

We recently attended an international conference that a partner from a Global South country was not able to join. The most frequent reaction from other attendees when they heard this was: “I’m so sorry to hear she didn’t get a visa.” Ironically, our partner had the flu. Yet this reaction shows how much we have become accustomed with the fact that many stakeholders are not able to move and join international convenings because they simply get no access to them. The international development community recently gathered for COP 30 and the G20; during these moments, when so many people travel to discuss global cooperation, we are reminded that mobility itself is often a mirror of inequality.

Please find the full english article on Odi.org.