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Updated January 2025
Every year, the list of powerful passports around the world is released to inform the world of which countries enjoy the most—and least—freedom in movement in terms of visa-free arrangements and limitations.
As we begin counting down the days for the fresh list of powerful passports with the emergence of a brand new year, let’s take a look at the list of powerful passports at present.

Table of Contents
What are the world’s top 10 powerful passports in 2025?
According to the Henley passport index, the strongest passports in the world are as follows:
- Singapore
- Japan
- Finland, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Spain (tied)
- Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden (tied)
- Belgium, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland, United Kingdom (tied)
- Australia, Greece (tied)
- Canada, Malta, Poland (tied)
- Czechia, Hungary (tied)
- Estonia, United States (tied)
- Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates (tied)
What are the world’s 10 least powerful passports in 2025?
Some of the least powerful passports are:
- Afghanistan
- Syria
- Iraq
- Yemen
- Pakistan
- Somalia
- Nepal
- Palestine
- Libya
- Bangladesh
What is the Henley Passport Index?
The Henley Passport Index is an authoritative ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. The index is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA)—the largest, most accurate travel information database—and enhanced by Henley & Partners’ research team. Similar to the Henley Passport Index, other global passport ranking systems exist, such as the Passport Index.
As per the Henley Passport Index for 2025, some major changes have been highlighted among the top 10 most powerful passports compared to the last ranking. Singapore’s passport holders now enjoy visa-free access to 195 destinations out of 227 worldwide.
Passport of Japan holds the second place on the index, permitting visa-free access to 193 destinations. At the same time, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea and Spain are in third position with visa-free access to 192 destinations worldwide. Passport holders of Belgium, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland and United Kingdom enjoy visa-free access to 191 destinations, holding the 4th position in the index.
The UAE has climbed up to the 9th position, which is an improvement over its previous rank, 11th, the highest spot the Arab world’s second-largest economy has achieved since the index was launched in 2006. Qatar and Kuwait hold 47th and 50th ranks, which are major advancements over their previous ranks, which were 53 and 55 on the Henley passport power index, respectively.
Methodology
The Henley Passport Index analyses passports based on visa-free travel possibilities and the hospitability of countries to international visitors.
- For each travel destination, if no visa is required for passport holders from a country or territory, a score with a value of 1 is created for that passport.
- A score with a value of 1 is also applied if passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival, a visitor’s permit, or an electronic travel authority (ETA) when entering the destination. These visa types require no pre-departure government approval because of the specific visa waiver programs in place.
- Where a visa is required, or where a passport holder has to obtain a government-approved electronic visa (e-Visa) before departure, a score with value = 0 is assigned.
- A score with value = 0 is also assigned if passport holders need pre-departure government approval for a visa on arrival, a scenario which is not considered ‘visa-free’.
For instance, Singapore, which holds the first position on the index, has a record-high visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of 195, as Singaporean passport holders can visit 195 countries without having to obtain prior visa documents. This is also why Estonia and the United States, which hold the 9th position, have a lower visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 186 destinations.
Powerful passport ranking – explained
It simply refers to a passport with fewer limitations, such as not requiring visas for vacation excursions. A powerful passport gives you much flexibility when it comes to travel. Many nations will let you enter if you have a strong passport, and you may frequently do so without paying any visa fees. For instance, if you hold a European passport, you can travel to any Euro Zone nation without a visa.