The world’s most powerful passport

As reliable as fireworks at midnight to ring in January 1st, the new year also brings the annual results of Henley Passport Index. Based on unique Timatic data from the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information International Air Transport Association (IATA), backed by internal research, ranks all 199 of the world’s most powerful passports based on how many of 227 global travel destinations they grant visa-free access to.

After the congestion of countries vying for the top spot in 2024 with no fewer than six sharing the same level of visa-free global access, the competition has thinned out significantly in 2025. The impact of major wars, political upheavals and climate issues continues to to play. their part in the status and accessibility of many countries and the rights of their citizens to travel. This year’s Henley Index shows us just how much.

The five most powerful passports

By 2025, Singapore has reclaimed its crown as the world’s most powerful passport, with visa-free access to an extraordinary 195 of the 227 global destinations included in the list. This means it opens a clear gap to second-placed Japan, which now offers visa-free access to 193 destinations, including, for the first time since the global travel lockdown, China.

After sharing first place in 2024, EU member states France, Germany, Italy and Spain all drop two places to share third place. They are joined by Finland and South Korea, with all six passports granting visa-free access in 2025 to 192 destinations.

Things are just as crowded in fourth place, with a seven-nation cohort of EU countries all offering access to 191 destinations without the need for a visa. These include Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

Rounding out the top five are Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland, the UK and away from Europe, New Zealand, all of which offer visa-free travel to 190 destinations. This represents another downturn for Britain in particular, which has seen its passing power fluctuate and decline sharply over the past decade from its previous long-standing number one position.

The United States among the biggest fallers in the world’s most powerful passport

Noticeably absent from the top five is the American passport, which now sits in ninth place – a significant drop from its traditional first and second positions ten years ago. Today, US passport holders can visit 186 destinations without the need for a prior visa.

To put that into context, only 22 of the world’s 199 passes have fallen down the rankings in the last decade. The US is the second biggest faller, beaten only by Venezuela (45th) and just ahead of the tiny island nation of Vanuatu (54th), the UK and Canada, which have dropped from fourth to seventh.

By contrast, the biggest climbers up the rankings over the past decade have been the UAE, which has become the first and only Arab state to crack the top ten in the passport strength index. It has secured visa-free access to 72 more destinations since 2015 and has climbed 32 places to round out the Passport Authority’s top ten with 185 global destinations.

China has also risen from a lowly 94th in 2015 to 60th in 2025. The global superpower has also risen on Henley Openness Indexwhich ranks all 199 countries and territories worldwide by the number of nationalities they allow entry without a prior visa. China has granted visa-free access to 29 new countries over the past year alone, and now sits in 80th place with visa-free entry for 58 nations. Compare this to the US, which ranks below it at 84th, allowing citizens of only 46 countries to enter without a prior visa.

In particular, US citizens now rank first in applications for second citizenship and alternative residence. They account for a staggering 21% of all investment migration program applications to Henley in 2024.

Managing Director Dr. Juerg Steffen says the firm has more American clients than the next four largest nationalities (Turkish, Filipino, Indian and British) combined. “Faced with unprecedented volatility, investors and wealthy families are adopting a strategy of geopolitical arbitrage to acquire additional residency and/or citizenship options to hedge against jurisdictional risk and exploit differences in legal, economic, political and social conditions across countries to optimize their personal, financial and lifestyle outcomes.”

The least powerful passports in the world

Still anchored at the bottom of the Henley Index in 2025 is Afghanistan. Losing visa-free access to two more destinations in 2024 has created the largest mobility gap in the index’s 19-year history. To put that into context, if you hold a Singaporean passport, you have access to 169 more destinations around the world without the need for a visa than if you hold an Afghan passport.

It is a stark reminder of the privilege that comes with the birthright that Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners and the inventor of the passport index concept, notes. “The very concept of citizenship and its birthright lottery needs fundamental rethinking as temperatures rise, natural disasters become more frequent and severe, displacing communities and making their surroundings uninhabitable. At the same time, political instability and armed conflict in various regions force countless people to flee from their homes in search of safety and refuge.The need to introduce Free Global Cities to harness the untapped potential of displaced people and other migrants and transforming them from victims of circumstance to architects of their own future has never been more urgent or clear.”

The most important travel trend in 2025 is digitization

Travel is taking several steps in 2025 towards its inevitable total digital overhaul. New digital border controls will see the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system expand alongside the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).

January 2025, the UK’s ETA scheme will be extended to include eligible non-European travellers, including citizens of the US, Canada and Australia, who will now need an ETA to travel to the UK. After several delays, Europe’s equivalent ETIAS scheme is expected to start in May 2025, with those approved able to enter 30 European countries as often as they like for short-term stays of up to 90 days in a 180-day period.

Nick Careen, Senior Vice President, Operation, Safety and Security at IATA, explains: “The transition to digital travel is more than just a technology upgrade – it’s a paradigm shift. By leveraging digital identity and biometrics, the aviation industry can deliver a level of efficiency and personalization previously unimaginable. But the impact goes beyond airports. A seamless travel experience can strengthen global connectivity, boost tourism and support economic growth.”

Here is the top ten ranking of the world’s most powerful passports in 2025 or take a look full location.

1. Singapore: 195

2. Japan: 193

3. France: 192

3. Germany: 192

3. Spain: 192

3. Italy: 192

3. South Korea: 192

3. Finland: 192

4. Sweden: 191

4. Austria: 191

4. Denmark: 191

4. Netherlands: 191

4. Ireland: 191

4. Luxembourg: 191

4. Norway: 191

5. Portugal: 190

5. Switzerland: 190

5. Great Britain: 190

5. Belgium: 190

5. New Zealand: 190

6. Greece: 189

6. Australia: 189

7. Malta: 188

7. Canada: 188

7. Poland: 188

8. Czech Republic: 187

9. Estonia: 186

9. United States: 186

9. Latvia: 186

9. Hungary: 186

10. Lithuania: 185

10. Slovenia: 185

10. Latvia: 185

10. United Arab Emirates: 185