For the first time in five years, Japan no longer has the world’s most powerful passport.
In a new global ranking, Singapore ranks first, with its citizens able to visit 192 countries out of 227 without a visa.
Germany, Italy and Spain move up to second place, with visa-free access to 190 destinations. Japan has been displaced to third place, a place it occupies with six other nations: Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, South Korea and Sweden. Citizens of these countries can visit 189 destinations without a prior visa.
Meanwhile, the UK, after sliding down the table for the last six years, has moved up two places to fourth place, a position it last held in 2017. Its citizens, along with those of Ireland, Denmark and the Netherlands, you can visit 188 countries without a visa.
The US, on the other hand, continues its decade-long decline in the index, falling another two places to eighth, with access to 184 visa-free countries. The UK and US jointly ranked first on the index in 2014, but have been on a downward trajectory ever since.
Australia ranks sixth, with visa-free access to 186 countries.
For the first time in five years, Japan no longer has the world’s most powerful passport. In a new Henley Passport Index, Singapore ranks first, with its citizens able to visit 192 countries out of 227 without a visa.
The ranking has been prepared by the Henley Passport Index, which is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (Iata). Analyze how many countries a passport holder can enter without a prior visa.
Afghanistan remains entrenched at the bottom of the index, with a visa-free access score of just 27, followed by Iraq (29) and Syria (30), the three weakest passports in the world.
Of the countries in the top 10, the US saw the smallest increase in its score over the past decade, notes the Henley Passport Index, securing visa-free access to just 12 additional destinations between 2013 and 2023. Singapore, by comparison, has increased its score by 25, pushing it up five places in the ranking over the past 10 years to the number one spot.
The Henley Passport Index also notes that while US passport holders can access 184 visa-free destinations, the US itself only allows 44 other nationalities to pass through its borders visa-free.
A statement added: “The overall trend over the ranking’s 18-year history has been towards greater travel freedom, with the average number of destinations travelers can access without a visa nearly doubling from 58 in 2006.” to 109 by 2023 However, the global mobility gap between those at the top and bottom of the index is now wider than ever, with top-ranked Singapore able to access 165 more visa-free destinations than Afghanistan ”.
The UK, after sliding down the table for the previous six years, has moved up two places to fourth.
The US continues its decade-long decline in the index, dropping another two places to eighth
Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, president of Henley & Partners and inventor of the passport index concept, says that only eight countries worldwide have less visa-free access today than a decade ago, while others have been more successful in Secure more trips. freedom for its citizens.
He said: ‘The UAE has added an impressive 107 destinations to its visa-free score since 2013, resulting in a massive jump of 44 places in the ranking in the last 10 years from 56th to 12th. This is almost double the next largest climber, Colombia, which has enjoyed a 28-place jump in the ranking to settle at 37th.
‘Ukraine and China are also among the top 10 countries with the most improved rankings over the past decade.
‘Much more than just a travel document that defines our freedom of movement, a strong passport also provides significant financial freedoms in terms of international business opportunities and investment. Global connectivity and access have become indispensable features for the creation and preservation of wealth, and its value will only grow as geopolitical volatility and regional instability increase.”
For more information visit www.henleyglobal.com/passport-index.
