THE Most Powerful Passports In the World
What is the most powerful passports in the world? If the annual ranking of the best passports – allowing visa-free travel to the greatest number of countries – remains almost unchanged in 2023, according to the firm Henley and Partners, the gap is widening between the countries of the North and those of the South, Covid -19 obliges.
Traveling far is not so easy depending on one’s country of origin. Henley & Partners, a firm specializing in citizenship advice, publishes a quarterly ranking of the most “powerful” passports for traveling the world.
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Top 10 most powerful passports in the world in 2023, according to the Henley Passport Index
| Rang | Countries | Visa-free destinations |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Singapore | 193 |
| 2. | Japan | 192 |
| 3. | Finland, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Spain, Sweden | 191 |
| 4. | Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, United Kingdom | 190 |
| 5. | Belgium, Malta, Norway, Portugal | 189 |
| 6. | Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland | 188 |
| 7. | Canada, Czechia, Greece, Poland, United States | 187 |
| 8. | Hungary | 186 |
| 9. | Lithuania | 185 |
| 10. | Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia | 184 |
The United States and the United Kingdom, which held first place in 2014, have since been overtaken by countries in Asia Pacific and Western Europe. They occupy the 6th and 7th ranks respectively. At the bottom of the ranking, we find Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. Nationals of these countries can travel to 27, 29 and 30 countries respectively without a visa.
Posted in May 2022, this article has been updated.
How is the ranking established?
Henley & Partners compares the access of 199 passports to 227 destinations to establish its ranking. If a visa is not required to travel to the chosen country, then the passport scores a point. A point can also be awarded if the passport allows you to obtain an entry visa, a residence permit or an electronic travel authorization at the entrance to the destination. On the contrary, if a visa is required or if a government-approved electronic visa must be obtained before departure, then the passport scores zero points towards that destination. No point scored either if government approval is required before departure for a visa on arrival.
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Sources: PinterPandai, Afar, Passport Index, Henley & Partners