Ireland is joint fourth most powerful passport in the world according to the latest henley index, with access to 189 destinations without having to seek a visa.
Singapore has a clear lead in the annual index with access to 193 destinations without a visa Japan and South Korea are tied for seconnd place, each allowing access to 190 visa-free destinations
Seven EU passports share fourth place, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain, all with access to 189 destinations.
Another seven-nation European cohort, with visa-free entry to 188 destinations, are joint 11th: Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden while New Zealand, the only nation to challenge the regional dominance, ties in 18th place with Greece and Switzerland.
Once the most powerful passports in the world, England in 2015 and the US in 2014, have both seen big drops. England has fallen to 21st, with visa-free access to 186 destinations, while the US is now in joint 34th place with 182. India has made the largest movement up the rankings and tThe UAE achieved a notable rise over the past decade.
At the other end of the global mobility spectrum, Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the ranking, with its citizens able to access just 25 destinations without a prior visa, what Henley calls a staggering mobility gap of 168 destinations between the top- and bottom-ranked passports.
Jeurg Steffen of Henley shared, “The latest Henley Passport Index reveals an increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility. Americans are now leading the demand worldwide for alternative residence and citizenship options, with British nationals also among the top five globally. As the US and England adopt increasingly inward-looking policies, we’re witnessing a marked rise in interest from their citizens seeking greater global access and security. Your passport is no longer just a travel document, it’s a reflection of your country’s diplomatic influence and international relationships. In an era of growing inequality and mounting geopolitical uncertainty, strategic mobility and citizenship planning are more critical than ever.”
Christian Kaelin, the inventor of the passport index concept shared: “The consolidation we’re seeing at the top underscores that access is earned — and must be maintained — through active and strategic diplomacy. Nations that proactively negotiate visa waivers and nurture reciprocal agreements continue to rise, while the opposite applies to those that are less engaged in such efforts.”
