A passport is a key to travelling abroad. However, some passports are considered to be “stronger” than others. The world’s most powerful passports are those that offer the greatest travel freedom.
The strongest passports are those that allow the holder to enter most countries easily, without extra entry requirements, such as visas.
Different factors affect travel freedom and the strength of a passport. The Henley Passport Index (HPI), compiled by Henley & Partners, is regarded as the authority on passport strength. It ranks every passport in the world by the travel freedom it allows.
Find out the world passport ranking for 2021 below.
How Do You Measure the Strength of a Passport?
All sovereign states issue passports to their citizens. These documents are essential for travelling to other countries. However, many destinations also require visitors to have a visa to enter.
In some cases, a country’s visa policy may allow travellers of certain nationalities to visit without a visa for a certain period. This is usually due to agreements between the two countries in question. In these situations, the traveller’s passport is all that is needed.
The more countries that a traveller can access visa-free, the more powerful their passport.
The Henley Passport Index ranks passports according to the number of destinations holders can enter without applying for a visa in advance (including both embassy visas and online visas).
The HPI ranks a passport highly if it allows the holder to visit many countries with any of the following entry criteria:
- Passport only
- Electronic travel authorisation (eTA) / online visa waiver
- Visa on arrival
- The World’s Strongest Passports for Travel Freedom
- In 2022, the most powerful passports in the world in terms of travel freedom are the Japanese and
- Singaporean passports, according to the HPI.
A passport issued by Japan or Singapore allows the holder to enter 192 different countries and territories without having to get a visa in advance.
Germany and South Korea are tied for 2nd place. Passports issued by these countries grant visa-free travel to 190 destinations around the globe.
European Union (EU) countries make up the bulk of the top-ranked passports. Finnish, Italian, Luxembourgish, and Spanish passports share 3rd place, while Austrian, Danish, Dutch, French, and Swedish passports tie for 4th. French, Irish, Portuguese, and British passports are co-ranked 5th.
The top 10 passports in the world also include those issued by the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
There are relatively few countries with visa requirements for Americans. US passport holders can visit 186 destinations visa-free.
Similarly, there are a few visa requirements for British citizens, with no visa required in advance for 187 countries and territories.
Meanwhile, Australian and Canadian passports are tied as the 7th strongest passports in the world, allowing access to 185 destinations without a visa.
See the visa requirements for Australians and the visa requirements for Canadians for further details about which destinations may be visited without a visa.
What Country Has the Weakest Passport?
Afghanistan has the weakest passport in the world by travel freedom. The HPI places Afghanistan at the bottom of its list, in 112th place.
A passport issued by Afghanistan allows the holder to enter only 26 countries and territories without applying for a visa in advance. Of these, many still require the traveller to apply for a visa on arrival.
The Weakest Passports for Travel Freedom in the World
Iraqi passports are only just above those issued by Afghanistan in the HPI rankings, allowing entry to 28 destinations without getting a visa before the trip.
Syria, Pakistan, and Yemen round out the bottom 5 in 2022, with 29, 31, and 33 visa-free destinations, respectively.
The Top 10 Most Powerful Passports in the World
The top 10 most powerful passports in 2022 are those issued by Japan, Singapore, Germany, South Korea, Italy, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain, Austria, and Denmark. However, since many of these are tied for a position, the top 10 positions have been listed in the table below.
They have been ranked in descending order according to the number of destinations passport holders can enter without applying for a visa before travelling.
The data presented below is based on the current HPI ranking for each passport.
Most-Powerful Passports
1. Japan and Singapore – 192 countries
2. Germany and South Korea – 190 countries
3. Finland, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain – 189 countries
4. Austria, Denmark, Netherland and Sweden – 188 countries
5. France, Ireland, Portugal and United Kingdom – 187 countries
6. Belgium, New Zealand, Switzerland, Norway and the United States – 186 countries
7. Czech Republic, Greece, Malta, Australia and Canada—185 countries
8. Hungary—183 countries
9. Lithuania, Slovakia and Poland – 182 countries
10. Estonia, Latvia and Slovenia – 181 countries
*Note: The passport rankings on this page were updated on April 11, 2022, according to the information provided by the HPI for the second quarter of the year.
