The United States (U.S.) once held the most powerful passport in the world, but this year, their passport has fallen to eighth place, marking the largest drop among the top ten ranked countries. The ranking of the most powerful passports is compiled by the Henley Passport Index, the original ranking list of all world passports and the only passport index based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The Henley Passport Index is updated quarterly and is considered the standard reference tool for assessing where a passport ranks in terms of global mobility. The top three passports on this list belong to countries with the most stringent citizenship requirements.
Number of destinations
To rank passports, the Henley Passport Index considers the number of destinations that can be visited without a visa. According to this criterion, Singapore has the most powerful passport in the world. Citizens of Singapore can travel visa-free to 195 out of 227 global tourist destinations.
Singapore last held the top position in 2021, with visa-free access to 194 destinations, compared to Japan, which was in second place with 193 destinations that year. The second position is shared by five countries: Japan, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. The third position is also held by multiple countries: Finland, Sweden, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, South Korea, Austria, and Ireland. The fourth position is occupied by the United Kingdom (UK), Denmark, Belgium, Norway, New Zealand, and Switzerland, while the fifth position is held by Portugal and Australia.
U.S. passport holders, now ranked eighth, can travel visa-free to 186 destinations worldwide. On the other hand, citizens from only 41 countries can enter the U.S. without a visa, reflecting a high level of non-reciprocity. The visa-free countries include Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the UK.
Why is it difficult to obtain a passport in Japan?
Japan stands out on the list of countries with the strongest passports due to its strict citizenship requirements. To be eligible for a Japanese passport, you must reside in Japan for five years, pass a Japanese language exam, prove that you can support yourself financially, and renounce your previous citizenship. The process at the Ministry of Justice can take months or even years before receiving approval, Forbes writes.
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