In 2025, Singapore’s passport holds the title of the most powerful in the world, providing its citizens with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 193 destinations worldwide. This remarkable level of global mobility highlights Singapore’s strong diplomatic relationships, stable economy, and global influence.
If you’re wondering how your country’s passport ranks, this comprehensive guide explores the latest global passport standings, what makes a passport powerful, and how passport strength can impact your travel freedom and international opportunities.
What Makes a Passport Powerful?
A passport is much more than just a travel document – it represents the global reputation, diplomatic strength, and economic stability of the nation that issues it. The “power” of a passport is determined by how many countries its holders can enter without requiring a pre-approved visa.
The greater the number of visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations, the higher the passport ranks in the global mobility index. Several factors influence how powerful a passport is:
Diplomatic Relations
Strong diplomatic ties between countries are one of the most important determinants of visa-free access. Nations that engage in active trade, security cooperation, or mutual investments are more likely to sign reciprocal visa-waiver agreements.
Economic Factors
Economic stability and prosperity also play a role. Citizens from countries with higher GDPs are often viewed as lower immigration risks, resulting in greater visa-free or simplified entry opportunities.
Global Image and Governance
Countries perceived as politically stable, transparent, and law-abiding tend to enjoy better international mobility arrangements.
Global Passport Power Rank
Global passport rankings assess and compare countries based on how freely their citizens can travel worldwide. These rankings highlight how diplomatic relationships and economic status shape travel freedom.
A country’s passport rank reflects how easily its citizens can engage in short-term travel, tourism, international business, education, or temporary work. Strong passports not only make short visits easier but also facilitate smoother long-term visa or residency applications, as immigration authorities often consider passport strength during assessment.
Applicants from countries with lower-ranked passports may face stricter scrutiny, additional documentation requirements, or higher visa rejection rates due to perceived overstay or asylum risks.
Countries generally rise in the rankings as they sign new visa-waiver agreements and strengthen diplomatic relations — and fall when diplomatic or geopolitical tensions reduce their travel privileges.
Historic Passport Power Rank
Passport strength evolves over time due to shifts in global diplomacy, trade relations, and geopolitical influence. In earlier years, Western nations like the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union countries dominated global rankings.
In 2014, both the US and UK shared the number-one spot on global passport indexes. The UK briefly held first place alone in 2015 before beginning a steady decline.
During the 2010s, Asian nations — particularly Japan, Singapore, and South Korea — rose rapidly in global rankings thanks to strong economic growth and new bilateral agreements. Japan frequently held the top spot from the late 2010s through the early 2020s.
By contrast, Singapore has led global rankings since 2024 and continues to dominate in 2025, maintaining access to 193 destinations.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) also achieved one of the most significant jumps – rising from 42nd in 2015 to 8th in 2025 – gaining 72 new visa-free destinations through strategic diplomacy and trade agreements.
South American countries like Brazil and Chile have also seen progress through expanded trade alliances, while Russia and Belarus have declined due to geopolitical conflicts and sanctions.
Definition of the Index
The Henley Passport Index ranks passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without obtaining a visa in advance.
Originally launched in 2005 as the “Visa Restrictions Index,” it was renamed the Henley Passport Index in 2018.
The Index uses exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) — the world’s largest repository of travel information — and evaluates 199 passports against 227 global destinations. Rankings are updated monthly and serve as one of the most trusted benchmarks for global mobility and visa policy trends.
Henley also calculates the Henley Passport Power (HPP) — the percentage of global GDP that a passport provides visa-free access to — combining mobility data with World Bank GDP figures.
Method of Ranking
The Henley Passport Index relies on official IATA data, verified by monitoring government portals and credible media sources for updates to visa policies.
Here’s how it evaluates each passport:
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Only ordinary (standard) passports are considered — not diplomatic, temporary, or emergency documents.
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Destinations that allow visa-free, visa-on-arrival, or electronic travel authorisation (ETA) access are counted as visa-free, since they don’t require prior approval.
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Each passport earns 1 point per destination accessible without a pre-departure visa.
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Destinations that require prior authorisation or a full visa score 0 points.
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The total number of visa-free destinations determines each passport’s score and global ranking.
Global Passport Rankings in 2025
The latest Henley Passport Index (Q2 2025) reveals interesting shifts from the previous quarter:
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1st – Singapore: 193 visa-free destinations
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2nd – Japan and South Korea: 190 destinations each
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3rd – Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain: 189 destinations
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4th – Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden: 188 destinations
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5th – Greece, New Zealand, Switzerland: 187 destinations
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6th – United Kingdom: 186 destinations
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7th – Australia, Czechia, Hungary, Malta, Poland: 185 destinations
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8th – Canada, Estonia, United Arab Emirates: 184 destinations
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9th – Croatia, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia: 183 destinations
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10th – Iceland, Lithuania, United States: 182 destinations
At the bottom of the index are Afghanistan (25 visa-free destinations), Syria (27), and Iraq (30).
The UAE also ranks highly under Arton Capital’s Global Passport Power Index, holding the #1 position with 179 visa-free destinations, followed by Spain with 176.
Asian Nations See Highest Improvement in Passport Power
Over the past decade, Asian countries have experienced the most dramatic improvements in global passport strength.
Japan, Singapore, and South Korea consistently occupy the top five positions, reflecting their economic resilience, international cooperation, and active visa diplomacy.
The United Arab Emirates remains the standout performer, advancing from 42nd place in 2015 to 8th place in 2025 — gaining over 70 new visa-free destinations within a decade.
Saudi Arabia, India, and China have also climbed in rankings. China, now ranked 60th with 83 visa-free destinations (up from 75 in 2020), has expanded access through bilateral visa agreements with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations and South American partners like Brazil and Argentina.
Asia’s upward mobility reflects the region’s economic rise, global integration, and stronger geopolitical alliances.
The U.S. and UK Passports Continue to Lose Dominance
Once the undisputed leaders of global mobility, the United States and United Kingdom passports have seen a gradual decline in power.
In 2014, both countries held the number-one position, but have since slipped. By 2025, the US passport ranks 10th, its lowest position in over two decades, due to stricter immigration policies and changing global relations.
The UK passport, once number one in 2015, now sits in 6th place, after fluctuating between 4th and 7th over the last ten years.
This decline reflects a shift in global influence, as emerging economies in Asia and the Middle East strengthen their diplomatic networks and surpass traditional Western powers in global mobility.
Significance of Passport Ranking for Immigration and Global Mobility
A passport’s strength has a direct impact on how easily its holder can access international opportunities for travel, work, study, or residence.
Individuals holding weaker passports face stricter visa requirements, lower approval rates, and longer processing times — even for short visits.
However, there are ways to improve global mobility:
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Residency or Citizenship by Investment: Offers the fastest route to a second passport, though it is typically reserved for high-net-worth individuals.
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Family Sponsorship: Available to those with immediate relatives holding citizenship or permanent residence in another country.
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Employment and Work Visas: The most common and accessible route for skilled professionals.
The pathway from work visa → permanent residence → naturalisation remains the most realistic option for most individuals seeking stronger global mobility.
Global Mobility with LawSentis
Whether your passport ranks high or low, your opportunities don’t have to be limited.
At LawSentis, we specialise in global immigration, citizenship, and residency planning for individuals, investors, and professionals seeking greater international freedom.
Our experienced consultants can help you:
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Understand your current passport mobility
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Explore second citizenship or residency options
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Plan long-term relocation strategies
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Navigate complex visa processes with confidence
Contact LawSentis today to discover how we can help you expand your global reach and secure your freedom to live, work, and travel anywhere in the world.