Passport Index 2023: Countries with a Global Powerful Passport Ranking

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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 release of the latest Henley Passport Index highlights little change in the top 10 most powerful passports compared to the last ranking. Keep reading to find out the Henley Passport Index ranking for the year 2023.

World passport latest news & updates 2023

As of now, it should be emphasized that all international visitors, including those who are natives of visa-free nations, who wish to enter or transit to the UK will be required to obtain ETA UK clearance.

All international visitors will be able to apply from home without having to visit a UK Embassy and the application form should take only a few minutes to fill out. The personal data that need to be provided are valid passport data, some personal information, travel plan details, and a debit or credit card.

World’s top 20 powerful passports in 2023

According to the Henley passport index, the strongest passports in the world are as follows:

1. Japan
2. Singapore, South Korea (tied)
3. Germany, Spain (tied)
4. Finland, Italy, Luxembourg (tied)
5. Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden (tied)
6. France, Ireland, Portugal, United Kingdom (tied)
7. Belgium, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United States (tied)
8. Australia, Canada, Greece, Malta (tied)
9. Hungary, Poland (tied)
10. Lithuania, Slovakia (tied)
11. Latvia, Slovenia (tied)
12. Estonia
13. Iceland
14. Malaysia
15. Lichtenstein, UAE (tied)
16. Cyprus
17. Romania
18. Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Monaco (tied)
19. Hong Kong SAR
20. Argentina, Brazil (tied)

World’s 10 least powerful passports in 2023

Some of the least powerful passports are:

1. Afghanistan
2. Iraq
3. Syria
4. Pakistan
5. Yemen
6. Somalia
7. Palestinian Territory, Nepal (tied)
8. North Korea
9. Bangladesh, Kosovo, Libya (tied)
10. DR Congo, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Sudan (tied)

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, there are other global passport ranking systems in place, such as the Passport Index.

As per the Henley Passport Index for the year 2023, minor changes have been highlighted among the top 10 most powerful passports compared to the last ranking. Japanese passport holders now enjoy unrestricted access to 193 destinations out of 227 around the world visa-free, while South Koreans and Singaporeans, whose countries are tied in second place on the index, enjoy a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 192. Germany and Spain are joint third, with visa-free access to 190 destinations worldwide.

The UAE has retained its place at number 15, which is the highest spot the Arab world’s second-largest economy has achieved since the index was launched in 2006. Qatar and Kuwait hold 55th and 57th ranks on the Henley passport power index, respectively and Saudi Arabia is ranked 65th. With the UK’s new ETA scheme beginning this year, all GCC state nationals will enjoy visa-free travel across the UK.

What is the methodology of passport ranking?

The Henley Passport Index analyses passports based on visa-free travel possibilities, as well as how hospitable countries are to international visitors.

• For each travel destination, if no visa is required for passport holders from a country or territory, then a score with value = 1 is created for that passport.
• A score with value = 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, Japan holds the number one spot on the index and has a record-high visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of 193, as Japanese passport holders can visit 193 countries without having to obtain prior visa documents. This is also the reason why there are several countries tied with the same score, such as Belgium, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the United States, sharing the seventh place on the passport index, as they all have a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 186.

What does it mean to have a powerful passport ranking?

It simply refers to a passport with fewer limitations, such as not requiring visas for vacation excursions. A powerful passport gives you a lot of 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, for example, you can travel to any Euro Zone nation without a visa.