Passport Index 2026: Countries with a Global Powerful Passport Ranking

Last updated: Apr 28, 2026

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.

The Henley Passport Index is updated monthly. The rankings below reflect the latest April 2026 update of the index.

Table of Contents

What are the world’s top 10 powerful passports in 2026?

According to the Henley Passport Index (April 2026 update), the strongest passports in the world are as follows:

Singapore — visa-free access to 192 destinations
Japan, South Korea, UAE (tied) — visa-free access to 187 destinations
Sweden — visa-free access to 186 destinations
Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland (tied) — visa-free access to 185 destinations
Austria, Greece, Malta, Portugal (tied) — visa-free access to 184 destinations
Hungary, Malaysia, Poland, UK (tied) — visa-free access to 183 destinations
Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Latvia, New Zealand, Slovakia, Slovenia (tied) — visa-free access to 182 destinations
Croatia, Estonia (tied) — visa-free access to 181 destinations
Liechtenstein, Lithuania (tied) — visa-free access to 180 destinations
Iceland, United States (tied) — visa-free access to 179 destinations

What are the world’s 10 least powerful passports in 2026?

Some of the least powerful passports in the 2026 Henley Passport Index are:

Afghanistan
Syria
Iraq
Pakistan, Yemen (tied)
Somalia
Nepal
Bangladesh
Eritrea, North Korea, Palestinian Territory (tied)
Libya, Sri Lanka (tied)
Iran

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 by Arton Capital.

The UAE’s climb to joint second is the headline shift of 2026. The country has gained 149 visa-free destinations since 2006, the largest increase recorded by any country in the index’s history, and is the only Arab passport in the top 10.

Among other Gulf passports in the latest April 2026 update, Qatar ranks 45th, Kuwait 47th, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are tied at 51st, and Oman is at 54th.

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’.

Sources

Disclaimer: Wego strives to ensure all information presented in this article is accurate and up to date at the time of publication. Travel policies, prices, visa requirements, and conditions can change rapidly. We strongly recommend verifying critical details with official sources before making travel decisions. Wego does not accept liability for any inaccuracies, oversights, or changes that may occur after publication.

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