The latest update from the Henley Passport Index reveals a significant shift in the global landscape of travel freedom, with the United States dropping out of the top nine for the first time in the index’s 20-year history.
The U.S. now ranks tenth, marking its lowest position ever on this prestigious index, which evaluates the strength of passports based on the visa-free travel access granted to their holders across 227 countries and territories.
Once reigning supreme as the top passport in 2014, the United States currently shares the tenth position with Iceland and Lithuania, providing access to just 182 destinations worldwide.
The latest quarterly ranking corroborates a broader trend of declining passport power for the United States.
Singapore continues to hold the title of the world’s most powerful passport for 2025, allowing its citizens visa-free entry to a remarkable 193 locations—the highest in the world.
Achieving Singaporean citizenship is not a simple task, requiring at least two years of permanent residency along with evaluations of economic contributions, and for male applicants, compulsory national service.
In joint second place are South Korea and Japan, each providing access to 190 destinations, demonstrating a strong showing for Asian nations in global mobility.
Following closely, several EU countries, including Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain, alongside Finland, occupy the third tier, with holders benefiting from visa-free access to 189 countries.
The fourth position is dominated by Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden, all enjoying visa-free travel to 188 locations.
Countries like Greece, Switzerland, and New Zealand are not far behind, coming in fifth place with access to 187 destinations without the need for a visa.
In contrast, at the bottom end of the scale, Afghanistan struggles to maintain its position at No. 99, with passport holders able to travel to just 25 countries— a dip from the beginning of the year.
Syria and Iraq follow closely behind, with access to 27 and 30 destinations, respectively, highlighting a significant and concerning mobility gap of 168 countries between the top and bottom rankings.
The United Kingdom has also seen a decline, dropping one spot to No. 6, and granting access to 186 destinations.
On the other hand, Australia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, and Poland are shared in seventh place, while Canada, Estonia, and the United Arab Emirates claim eighth.
The UAE’s rise in particular stands out, having dramatically improved from No. 42 to eighth over the last decade, showcasing a remarkable achievement in global mobility.
China has made noteworthy progress as well, moving up from No. 94 to No. 60 since 2015, despite not having visa-free access to the 29 countries in the Schengen Area.
The ninth position of the index is collectively held by Croatia, Latvia, Slovakia, and Slovenia, while the United States, together with Iceland and Lithuania, occupies the tenth spot, reflecting a steady decline for the U.S. amidst increasing global competition for passport power.
A new measure set to be implemented soon could influence this status further: the U.S. will require international visitors to pay a new “visa integrity fee” of at least $250, in addition to existing visa application costs, as outlined in a provision from a recent domestic policy bill.
Many critics, including the U.S. Travel Association, warn that this new fee could deter potential visitors to the U.S., further impacting its position on global travel rankings.
Christian H. Kaelin, chair of Henley and Partners, emphasized the importance of active diplomacy in the current global mobility landscape.
He noted that “the consolidation we’re seeing at the top underscores that access is earned — and must be maintained — through active and strategic diplomacy.”
Nations that seek to negotiate visa waivers and foster reciprocal agreements tend to climb the ranks, while those less engaged in these efforts experience the opposite effect.
The Henley Passport Index represents just one of several indexes aimed at evaluating global passport strength.
Another notable example is Arton Capital’s Passport Index, which dynamically updates its rankings based on real-time data concerning individual governments’ visa policies.
In contrast to the Henley Passport Index, Arton’s 2025 Global Passport Power Rank puts the United Arab Emirates at the forefront, enjoying visa-free access to 179 destinations, with Spain trailing behind in second place with a score of 176.
As the visa policies continue to evolve globally, the competition for the most powerful passports is becoming increasingly fierce, impacting travel freedom for citizens worldwide.
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