Passport Index 2024: Countries with a Global Powerful Passport Ranking

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Updated July 2024

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 2024.

World passport latest news & updates 2024

Japan held the first position, and the record for having the most powerful passport in the world last year reached second in 2024, according to the Henley Passport Index, with visa-free access to 192 countries. 

Singapore, number two last year, has climbed to number one in 2024. France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Spain are tied for second place this year.

Citizens of Singapore, which ranked number one, will enjoy visa-free access to 195 destinations out of 227 all around the world.

World’s top 20 powerful passports in 2024

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

1. Singapore
2. France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain (tied)
3. Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden (tied)
4. Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom (tied) 
5. Australia, Portugal (tied)
6. Greece, Poland (tied)
7. Canada, Czechia, Hungary, Malta (tied)
8. United States 
9. Estonia, Lithuania, United Arab Emirates (tied)
10. Iceland, Latvia, Slovenia (tied)

World’s 10 least powerful passports in 2024

Some of the least powerful passports are:

1. Afghanistan
2. Syria
3. Iraq
4. Yemen
5. Pakistan
6. Somalia
7. Nepal
8. Libya
9. Palestine
10. 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 2024, 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.

The passports of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain are tied for second place on the index, permitting visa-free access to 192 destinations. At the same time, Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea and Sweden are in third position with visa-free access to 191 destinations worldwide. Passport holders of Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom enjoy visa-free access to 191 destinations, holding the 4th position in the index.

The UAE has now climbed up to 9 from the previous rank of 15, the highest spot the Arab world’s second-largest economy has achieved since the index was launched in 2006. Qatar and Kuwait hold 46th and 49th ranks, which is an improvement from their previous ranks of 55 and 57 on the Henley passport power index, respectively.

Oman has also pushed 7 ranks from 65th to 58th rank by increasing its visa-free destinations from 82 to 86. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is ranked 56th, 9 ranks up from its 56th rank in 2023. 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 a 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, Singapore, which holds the first position on the index has a record-high visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of 195, as the passport holders of Singapore can visit 195 countries without having to obtain prior visa documents. This is also the reason why Iceland, which holds the 10th position, has a lower visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 184 destinations.

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.