
US now only has 10th most powerful passport in world...with top three nations now all in Asia
Americans once held the strongest passport for visa-free entry, with the US most recently topping the list in 2014.
According to the latest ranking, it has now dropped down to tenth place.
The list has been produced by the Henley Passport Index, which is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). It analyzes how many countries a passport holder can enter without a prior visa.
In what has been a downward trend, the US is now tied with Iceland and Lithuania with 182 destinations.
The three most powerful passports are all from Asian countries, with Singapore 's passport – allowing visa-free entry to 193 destinations - holding the top spot.
Next, Japan and South Korea are tied with 190 destinations.
In third place, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Spain - all countries in the European Union - tie with 189 possible destinations.
The UK and US have each dropped a place in the global passport rankings since January, with the British passport - which topped the rankings in 2015, slipping from fifth to sixth place, with 186 destinations.
At the opposite end of the global mobility spectrum, Afghanistan is still at the bottom, with its citizens able to access just 25 destinations without a prior visa.
This makes for a staggering mobility gap of 168 destinations between the top-and bottom-ranked passports.
As for biggest risers, the UAE continues to be a standout, shooting up 34 places over the last 10 years from 42nd to eighth place.
China is also quickly moving up the rankings, rising 34 places from 94 to 60 since 2015 - an especially impressive feat, considering China has not yet gained visa-free access to Europe's Schengen Area.
Meanwhile, the biggest faller on these rankings is Venezuela, which plunged 15 places from 30 to 45.
Christian H. Kaelin, who is credited with creating the index, said in a news release that the latest findings highlight an 'increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility,' with the most successful countries demonstrating proactive efforts to engage with others.
Dr. Juerg Steffen, Chief Executive Officer at Henley & Partners, says this trend is reshaping the investment migration landscape.
'Americans are now leading the demand worldwide for alternative residence and citizenship options, with British nationals also among the top five globally.
'As the US and UK adopt increasingly inward-looking policies, we're witnessing a marked rise in interest from their citizens seeking greater global access and security.
'Your passport is no longer just a travel document - it's a reflection of your country's diplomatic influence and international relationships.
'In an era of growing inequality and mounting geopolitical uncertainty, strategic mobility and citizenship planning are more critical than ever.'
THE HENLEY PASSPORT POWER INDEX GLOBAL RANKING 2025
Singapore 193 (visa-free destinations)
Japan, South Korea 190
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain 189
Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden 188
Greece, New Zealand, Switzerland 187
United Kingdom 186
Australia, Czechia, Hungary, Malta, Poland 185
Canada, Estonia, UAE 184
Croatia, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia 183
Iceland, Lithuania, United States 182
Liechtenstein, Malaysia 181
Cyprus 178
Bulgaria, Monaco, Romania 177
Chile 176
Andorra 171
Argentina, Brazil, San Marino 170
Hong Kong 169
Israel 168
Brunei 164
Barbados 163
Bahamas 159
Mexico 158
Uruguay 157
Seychelles, St Vincent and the Grenadines 156
St. Kitts and Nevis, Vatican City 154
Antigua and Barbuda 152
Costa Rica, Mauritius 149
Panama, Trinidad and Tobago 148
Grenada, Ukraine 147
Paraguay, St. Lucia 146
Macao 144
Dominica, Peru 143
Taiwan 139
Serbia 138
El Salvador 135
Guatemala, Solomon Islands 134
Colombia, Honduras 132
North Macedonia 130
Samoa, Tonga 129
Marshall Islands, Montenegro 128
Nicaragua, Tuvula 127
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kiribati, Micronesia, Palau Islands 123
Albania 122
Moldova 121
Venezuela 119
Russian Federation, Türkiye 114
Qatar 112
South Africa 103
Belize 102
Kuwait 100
Timor-Leste 96
Ecuador 94
Maldives 93
Guyana, Saudi Arabia, Vanuatu 91
Bahrain, Fiji 90
Jamaica, Oman 88
Nauru 87
Papua New Guinea 86
Botswana 85
China 83
Kosovo 82
Belarus, Thailand 81
Kazakhstan, Namibia 79
Bolivia, Suriname 78
Lesotho 76
eSwatini, Indonesia 74
Dominican Republic, Malawi, Morocco 73
Azerbaijan 72
Kenya, The Gambia 71
Tanzania 70
Armenia, Benin, Cape Verde Islands, Ghana, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia 67
Mongolia, Philippines, Sierra Leone 65
Kyrgyzstan, Rwanda, Zimbabwe 63
Mozambique, Uzbekistan 62
Sao Tome and Principe 61
Cuba, Togo 60
Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, India, Senegal 59
Gabon, Madagascar 58
Guinea, Mauritania, Niger 57
Equatorial Guinea, Tajikistan, 56
Algeria, Mali 55
Guinea-Bissau 54
Cambodia, Chad, Comoro Islands, Haiti 52
Bhutan, Central African Republic, Jordan, Liberia, Vietnam 51
Cameroon, Egypt, Turkmenistan 49
Angola, Burundi, Congo, Laos 48
Djibouti 47
Ethiopia, Myanmar, Nigeria 45
Lebanon 44
Congo (Democratic Republic), South Sudan 43
Iran, Sri Lanka 42
Sudan 41
North Korea 40
Bangladesh, Eritrea, Palestinian Territory 39
Libya, Nepal 38
Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen 32
Iraq 30
Syria 27
Afghanistan 25
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