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Singapore and Japan have topped a ranking of the world’s strongest passports.
The two Asian countries both offer access to 190 destinations without needing a visa in advance.
Compiled by residence and citizenship planning company Henley & Partners, the Henley Passport Index ranks all the world’s passports based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the firm’s research department.
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The quarterly index primarily rates travel documents based on how many countries they allow access too, either visa-free or by only needing to get a visa on arrival (rather than in advance).
With a score of 188, Finland, Germany, and South Korea remain in second place; while Denmark, Italy, and Luxembourg are in third place, with citizens now able to access 187 destinations worldwide without requiring a visa in advance.
The UK takes joint sixth place with the US – the lowest position either country has held since 2010 – with a score of 184.
One of the most dramatic shifts has been the UAE’s position in the rankings; the Middle Eastern nation has climbed five places since last quarter and 46 places over the past decade, thanks to recently gaining access to a slew of African countries, including South Africa. It now sits in 15th place with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 172.
Former Soviet states have also vastly improved over the last decade: Ukraine and Moldova have both climbed 19 places, while Georgia has jumped 16.
Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the ranking, in 107th place, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of just 25, followed by Iraq (27) and Syria (29).
The index is about more than just hassle-free travel, according to Henley & Partners.
“Our ongoing research has shown that when we talk about ‘passport power’, we are discussing more than simply the destinations a holder can travel to without acquiring a visa in advance,” said Dr Christian H Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners and the creator of the passport index.
“Often, there is a strong correlation between visa freedom and other benefits such as business and investment freedom, independence of the judiciary, fiscal health, and property rights.”
World's most powerful passports
1. Singapore
1. Japan
2. Finland
2. Germany
2. South Korea
3. Denmark
3. Italy
3. Luxembourg
4. France
4. Sweden
4. Spain
5. Austria
5. Netherlands
5. Portugal
Least powerful passports
107. Afghanistan
106. Iraq
105. Syria
104. Somalia
104. Pakistan
103. Yemen
Henley Passport Index for each Country
1
190
1
190
2
188
2
188
2
188
3
187
3
187
3
187
4
186
4
186
4
186
5
185
5
185
5
185
6
184
6
184
6
184
6
184
6
184
6
184
6
184
6
184
7
183
7
183
8
182
9
181
9
181
9
181
10
180
10
180
10
180
10
180
11
179
12
177
12
177
13
174
13
174
14
173
14
173
15
172
16
171
17
170
17
170
17
170
18
168
18
168
19
167
20
166
21
165
22
159
22
159
23
158
24
154
24
154
25
153
26
151
27
150
28
149
29
148
29
148
30
146
31
145
31
145
31
145
32
142
32
142
33
141
34
140
35
137
36
135
37
134
37
134
38
132
38
132
39
131
39
131
40
130
40
130
41
128
42
127
43
126
43
126
44
125
45
123
46
122
46
122
46
122
47
119
47
119
47
119
48
117
49
116
50
114
51
113
52
112
53
100
54
99
55
95
56
93
57
92
58
91
59
88
60
87
60
87
61
84
61
84
62
83
62
83
63
81
64
79
65
78
65
78
66
77
67
76
68
75
68
75
69
74
69
74
70
73
71
72
72
71
72
71
73
70
73
70
74
69
75
68
75
68
76
66
76
66
76
66
77
65
77
65
77
65
78
64
78
64
79
63
80
62
80
62
80
62
80
62
81
60
81
60
81
60
82
59
83
58
83
58
84
57
84
57
84
57
85
56
85
56
85
56
86
55
86
55
87
54
87
54
87
54
87
54
88
53
88
53
88
53
89
52
89
52
90
51
90
51
90
51
91
50
92
49
92
49
92
49
92
49
92
49
92
49
93
48
93
48
94
47
95
46
95
46
95
46
96
43
97
42
97
42
97
42
98
41
99
40
99
40
99
40
100
39
100
39
101
38
102
37
102
37
102
37
103
33
104
31
104
31
105
29
106
27
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