Countries with the strongest passports in 2025
In a world where international travel is becoming increasingly important, the power of a passport is taking on new significance. According to Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, founder of the Henley Passport Index, access to more destinations without a visa is earned through active and strategic diplomacy.
Singapore, Japan, South Korea, India, and the UAE have experienced a significant rise in passport power in recent years, primarily due to increased diplomatic efforts, greater openness, and strategic visa waiver agreements. Singapore leads the way with visa-free access to 193 destinations, closely followed by Japan and South Korea with 190 destinations each. The UAE has notably climbed 34 places in the last decade, breaking into the top 10 largely by expanding reciprocal visa-free access and enhancing international mobility partnerships.
Several factors contribute to this rise. Active diplomatic negotiations and reciprocal visa waiver agreements have enabled these countries to open travel routes and improve global mobility for their citizens. Economic growth and strategic international relationships, especially in Asia-Pacific, have driven countries like Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and the UAE to increase their passport strength by negotiating visa-free or visa-on-arrival access with more countries.
India’s recent significant jump to 77th place reflects ongoing improvements in bilateral agreements and increased global connectivity. It signifies a trend of emerging economies gaining mobility through diplomatic outreach and travel facilitation processes. The Henley Openness Index highlights nations like China moving toward greater openness, facilitating visa-free access for more nationals, reflecting a wider trend of global mobility expansion in Asia and the Middle East.
However, not all nations are experiencing the same level of success. The United States, once a leader in passport power, has experienced a decline, falling to 10th place with visa-free access to 184 destinations. This decline is attributed to diplomatic challenges and reduced effectiveness in negotiating new or retaining existing visa waiver agreements. A perception that visa access must be continuously earned and maintained through active, strategic diplomacy, which the US has struggled to keep pace with relative to other rising nations, also contributes to the decline.
The decline impacts not only tourists but also affects student mobility, international exchange programs, and academic travel, signalling a decrease in soft power and diplomatic influence. In contrast, the United Kingdom is now in sixth place, with its citizens able to access 186 destinations visa-free.
China, on the other hand, has made a remarkable shift, allowing visa-free entry to 75 nations, over a dozen of which were added in the last six months alone. However, it's important to note that China has soared 34 places from 94 to 60 in the last decade, without gaining visa-free access to Europe's Schengen Area.
The UAE's significant rise in the Henley Passport Index, from 34 places to eighth, is noteworthy. Over the last ten years, the United States has dropped eight places in the passport power ranking. President Donald Trump's mercurial attitude to international relations may have contributed to the United States' drop in the passport power ranking.
In summary, the increase in passport power among countries like Singapore, Japan, South Korea, India, and the UAE reflects proactive diplomacy, international openness, and strategic visa policy improvements. Conversely, the US decline illustrates how passport strength is tied to ongoing diplomatic engagement and reciprocal international relationships, with less effective diplomacy leading to reduced global mobility privileges.
- The UAE's increased passport power, with visa-free access to 190 destinations, is an outcome of proactive diplomacy, greater openness, and strategic visa waiver agreements, as seen in their climb of 34 places in the last decade.
- Economic growth and strategic international relationships, such as those in Asia-Pacific, have driven countries like Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and the UAE to prioritize eco-friendly lifestyles and finance in their negotiations for visa-free or visa-on-arrival access with more destinations, contributing to their rise in the Henley Passport Index.
- Despite the United States' historical leadership in passport power, the country's recent decline, falling to 10th place with visa-free access to 184 destinations, reveals the importance of maintaining active and strategic diplomacy to earn access to more travel destinations and retain visa waiver agreements.
