After five years at the top, Singapore has overtaken Japan as the holder of the world's strongest passport, allowing its citizens to visit 193 destinations worldwide without a visa.
While Asia has long dominated the list of the most powerful passports in the "Henley & Partners" global residence and citizenship advisory firm's index, Germany, Italy, and Spain have now climbed to the second position, with the ability to travel to 190 destinations visa-free.
Austria, Finland, France, Japan, Luxembourg, South Korea, and Sweden are tied for third place, with citizens of these countries able to travel to 189 countries without a visa.
Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom are ranked fourth in the National Passport Power Index (188 countries). Following them are Belgium, the Czech Republic, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, and Switzerland, each with access to 187 destinations, according to the company's data.
Canada and Greece share the fifth position with access to 185 destinations. Lithuania and the United States follow with access to 184 destinations, having fallen two places from the top spot they held in 2014. Latvia and Slovakia, along with Slovenia, come next with access to 183 destinations, followed by Estonia and Iceland with 182 destinations.
The "Henley Passport Index" relies on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and ranks 199 passports around the world, updating their strength in real-time throughout the year alongside any changes in implementation.
Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria rank at the bottom of the index as the three weakest passports in the world, with the first passport allowing entry to only 27 countries without a visa.
The Iraqi passport allows entry to 29 countries without a visa, while Syria ranks just above with access to 30 destinations.
An In-depth Look at Passport Index
Passport Index is an online platform and database that provides users with information on passport rankings, visa-free travel destinations, visa-on-arrival privileges, and the overall power of passports across the globe. The website offers up-to-date data and analysis, offering travelers, policymakers, and businesses valuable insights into travel opportunities and passport strength.
