The latest Henley Passport Index places Singapore at the top as the most powerful passport globally, granting visa-free access to 195 countries. In contrast, India’s passport ranks 82nd, offering visa-free entry to 58 countries. This ranking, based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), places India’s passport in the same tier as Senegal and Tajikistan.
Countries like France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Japan share the second position with visa-free access to 192 countries. Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, and Sweden are in third place, with access to 191 countries. New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom share fourth place, offering visa-free travel to 190 countries. Australia and Portugal are in fifth place with access to 189 countries, while Greece and Poland share sixth place with 188 countries. Canada, Malta, Hungary, and Czechia hold seventh place with access to 187 destinations.
The United States is in eighth place, providing visa-free access to 186 countries. Estonia, Lithuania, and the United Arab Emirates are in ninth place with 185 countries, followed by Iceland, Latvia, Slovakia, and Slovenia in tenth place with 184 countries.
Dr. Christian Kaelin, chairman of Henley and Partners, notes that the global average number of visa-free destinations has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024, though the gap between the top and bottom of the index is wider than ever. The Henley Passport Index has been tracking and releasing passport data for 19 years, updating rankings as countries modify their travel policies. In 2006, the Indian passport was ranked 71st, but it fell to 90th in 2021. At the bottom of the list are Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, with the lowest-ranking passport holders having access to very few countries.
