If you hold a passport from Singapore, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain, congrats! You carry the world’s most travel-friendly passports and can travel visa-free or visa-on-arrival to more than 190 countries around the world.
That’s according to the Henley Passport Index, a quarterly ranking of the most powerful passports in the world based on the number of countries a passport holder can enter without needing a visa. The Index uses data from the International Air Travel Association (IATA), and analyzes 199 passports and 277 destinations.
Singapore topped the list as the most powerful passport for the second year running, with visa-free access to 195 destinations, equivalent to roughly 85% of the world. France tied with Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain in second place, with access to 192 countries, followed by Austria, Finland, Luxembourg, Ireland, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Sweden in third. The United States inched up from ninth to eight place. In 2015, the United States was the second most powerful passport in the world, with the United Kingdom in the number one spot.
The 10 Most Powerful Passports in the World
| Rank | Countries | Visa-free Access Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 195 |
| 2 | France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain | 192 |
| 3 | Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden | 191 |
| 4 | Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom | 190 |
| 5 | Australia, Portugal | 189 |
| 6 | Greece, Poland | 188 |
| 7 | Canada, Czechia, Hungary, Malta | 187 |
| 8 | United States | 186 |
| 9 | Estonia, Lithuania, United Arab Emirates | 185 |
| 10 | Iceland, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia | 184 |
If you’re curious to see where your passport ranks, the Henley Passport Index allows you to search the list by passport type.
