The world's most powerful passport in 2024 was a six-way tie.

According to the 2025 Henley Passport Index, Singapore has the world's most powerful passport.

In 2024, the migration consultancy Henley & Partners ranked the nation-state among the top six countries with the most accessible passports, allowing holders to travel to multiple destinations without a visa.

Out of the five countries, Singapore has the highest number of visa-free destinations for its citizens, with access to 195 out of 227 global destinations, according to a ranking published Wednesday.

Japan ranks No. 2 with visa-free access to 193 spots, while four European countries, plus Finland and South Korea, share third place, granting passport holders visa-free access to 192 destinations.

The top 20 list is dominated by countries in Europe, along with New Zealand.

The Henley Passport Index ranks 199 passports globally using data from the International Air Transport Association.

According to the index, "visa-free" refers to circumstances where no visa is necessary or when simpler documents, such as visas on arrival, visitor's permits, and electronic travel authorities, are sufficient for entry.

Climbers and fallers

In the past decade, the United Arab Emirates has climbed up the list of visa-free access to 72 destinations, resulting in a total of 185 destinations worldwide.

The United States is ranked second, with its citizens able to visit 186 countries without a visa, according to the list.

In the past 10 years, the U.S. has experienced a decline in passport rankings, joining 21 other countries, according to the statement.

The US has fallen seven places from its 2nd position to its current 9th position as the second-biggest faller between 2015 and 2025, after Venezuela.

In 2015, the United Kingdom and Canada experienced a decline in the number of passports issued, according to the report.

In 2025, China improved its ranking to 60th place, and its openness to other countries increased significantly. Now, Chinese citizens can visit 58 destinations visa-free, which is double the number added in the previous year, according to the Henley Openness Index.

Bottom of the list

Once again, Afghanistan has been determined to have the weakest passport in the world, with a ranking of last for granting access to only 26 out of 227 destinations. Its citizens can travel to countries such as Cambodia, Maldives, Djibouti, Sri Lanka, and Haiti without needing a visa.

The difference in travel freedom between the strongest and weakest passports on the list is the greatest in the index's 19-year history, according to Henley & Partners. Singaporeans can visit 169 more places than Afghans can without needing a visa, it states.

The weakest passports on the list are those from Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan, Somalia, Nepal, the Palestinian territories, Libya, and Bangladesh, each of which ranks below North Korea, whose citizens can visit 41 destinations worldwide, according to the ranking.