The World’s Most Powerful Passports: Rankings and Insights

According to the 2023 Henley Passport Index, the top three most powerful passports in terms of global access are all from Asia. This ranking is determined by assessing the number of destinations passport holders can visit without the need for prior visa arrangements.

Ranking of the most powerful passports in the world

1. Japan (193 destinations)

For the fifth consecutive year, Japan holds the distinction of having the world’s most powerful passport, granting its holders visa-free entry to 193 out of 227 international destinations.

2. Singapore and South Korea (192 destinations)

South Korea and Singapore share the second spot on the index, both boasting a score of 192 for visa-free entry or visa-on-arrival options.

3. Germany and Spain (190 destinations)

Germany and Spain are tied for third place in the ranking of the most powerful passports globally, offering visa-free access to 190 destinations.

4. Finland, Italy, and Luxembourg (189 destinations)

These three countries provide their passport holders the possibility of entering 189 destinations without the need for a visa.

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5. Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, and Sweden (188 destinations)

In the fifth place for the most powerful passports in the world, Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, and Sweden allow their passport holders free access to 188 destinations.

6. France, Ireland, Portugal, and United Kingdom (187 destinations)

These countries offer their citizens access to an extensive list of 187 destinations.

7. Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United States, and Czech Republic (186 destinations)

These nations occupy the seventh place on the most powerful passports and provide their citizens with a wide range (186) of travel opportunities.

8. Australia, Canada, Greece, and Malta (185 destinations)

These countries grant their citizens access to 195 destinations without having to issue a visa.

9. Hungary, and Poland (184 destinations)

Hungary and Poland provide their citizens with the opportunity to explore 184 international destinations without visa.

10. Lithuania, and Slovakia (183 destinations)

Lithuania and Slovakia hold the last place in the ranking of the most powerful passports in the world with the possibility of visiting 183 destinations without visa.

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The most powerful passports as an economic opportunity

The Henley Passport Index is compiled by Henley & Partners, an immigration consultancy firm. The firm has integrated their passport index data with World Bank GDP statistics to create the ranking of the most powerful passports, the Henley Passport Power score. 

With this score the firm aims to represent “the percentage of global GDP each passport provides to its holders’ visa-free”.

Without a doubt this scoring system can be a very useful resource for business travelers, investors, and those who contemplate immigrating to a foreign country. 

Moreover, this tool highlights what Henley & Partners Chairman Dr. Christian Kaelin describes as “the ever-widening economic inequality and wealth disparity that has come to define our world”.

The most powerful passports index was created nearly two decades ago, using data from the International Air Transport Association.

This year, the ranking left three Asian countries as the owners of the three most powerful passports in the world, which can be linked to the economic development of the region.

On the other hand, holders of Nigerian passports, for example, can visit only 46 countries without a visa, which is around 20% of the world. These 46 nations contribute a mere 1.5% to the global GDP. 

At the bottom of the Henley Passport Power score lies the Afghan passport, with visa-free entry to only 27 countries, which represents less than 1% of the world’s economic output.

This discrepancy represents a staggering difference of 166 visa-free destinations compared to Japan, marking the most significant mobility gap in the index’s 18-year history. 

Consequently, citizens of countries outside the ranking of the most powerful passports in the world, such as Iraq (with a visa-free score of 29) and Syria (with a visa-free score of 30), find themselves excluded from numerous opportunities for economic growth, as highlighted in the report.

This ranking and the report of the world’s most popular passports in the world provide valuable insights into international relations, global mobility, and economic inequality. Therefore, changes in the passport ranking can also be indicative of political and economic developments on a global scale.

Countries with the most powerful passports in the world

Countries achieving top positions on the index tend to have more open economies, fostering foreign investment and international trade. This economic openness results in faster economic growth, increased innovation and productivity, and enhanced income and opportunities for their citizens, as noted by Henley & Partners.

A notable example of this phenomenon is the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has surged in the rankings, climbing 49 places over the past decade to now hold the 15th spot. Currently, UAE passport holders enjoy access to 70% of the global GDP.

Conversely, countries lower in the rankings often lack the geopolitical, diplomatic, and trade relationships necessary to promote visa-free travel, despite possessing significant and growing private wealth.

An intriguing disparity exists between the two largest global economies, the US and China. While they contribute 25% and 19% of global GDP, respectively, American passport holders can access 43% of global GDP without requiring a visa, whereas Chinese passport holders only have access to 7%.

There is no doubt passports are far more than travel documents, as they significantly influence the opportunities available not only to their holders, but to the countries of citizenship.

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