The top 10 most powerful passports in the world as U.S. drops off the list completely
The latest quarterly ranking of the Henley Passport Index revealed that the US passport has dropped off the top 10 most powerful list
In a world where borders define privilege, some passports open more doors than others. The world's most powerful travel documents, thus, redraw the global map of freedom.
Launched in 2005, the Henley Passport Index has ranked the power of nations' passports for two decades. Its rankings are based on the number of destinations a traveler can visit without requiring a visa. The US passport has, however, been declining in power.
The latest quarterly ranking saw the US passport drop off the top 10 list completely, instead coming in joint 12th place with Malaysia. Asian passports, on the other hand, dominate the top spots.
“The declining strength of the US passport over the past decade is more than just a reshuffle in rankings — it signals a fundamental shift in global mobility and soft power dynamics,” Christian H. Kaelin, chair of Henley & Partners, said in a statement. “Nations that embrace openness and cooperation are surging ahead, while those resting on past privilege are being left behind.”
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1 of 10 #10: Latvia, Liechtenstein
Latvia allows its passport holders to travel to 182 destinations without a visa
2 of 10 #9: Canada
Canada took the ninth spot, allowing Canadians entry into 183 countries. Multiple countries are tied in spots on the list, but Canada stands alone at the ninth rank
3 of 10 #8: Croatia, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom
Croatia, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom rank eighth on the list, with visa-free access to 184 countries
4 of 10 #7: Australia, Czech Republic, Malta, Poland
Australia, Czech Republic, Malta and Poland allow visitors access to 185 countries without needing any visa
5 of 10 #6: Greece, Hungary, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Sweden
Greece, Hungary, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Sweden passport holders are granted access to 186 countries without a visa
6 of 10 #5: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Netherlands
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Netherlands took the fifth spot allowing passport holders to enter 187 countries without a visa
7 of 10 #4: Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland
Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain and Switzerland allow passport holders into 188 countries without the fuss of a visa
8 of 10 #3: Japan
Japan took the third spot, allowing Japanese passport holders to access to 189 countries without a visa
9 of 10 #2: South Korea
South Korea snagged the second place on the Most Powerful Passports ranking, giving holders visa-free access to 190 countries around the world
10 of 10 #1: Singapore
Singapore came first place, with the most powerful passport offering visa-free access to 193 destinations worldwide. USA came in first in 2024, but has since dropped off the top ten.
At the absolute bottom of the list, in 106th place, is Afghanistan, as the passport gives visa-free access to just 24 destinations
(Image:Getty Images)