If airplanes and airports are the gateway to travel, passports are the key. Recently, the Henley Passport Index shared its annual ranking of the world’s most powerful passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. This year, the top spot is jointly held by six countries, each granting their passport holders visa-free access to 194 countries.
The index uses exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) to determine the order. Here are the countries ranked in the top 10 for their “visa-free” score.
- France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain – 194
- Finland, South Korea, Sweden – 193
- Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands – 192
- Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom -191
- Greece, Malta, Switzerland – 190
- Australia, Czechia, New Zealand, Poland – 189
- Canada, Hungary, United States – 188
- Estonia, Lithuania – 187
- Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia – 186
- Iceland – 185
Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners and the inventor of the passport index concept, described how this year fitted in with wider trends.
“The average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024. However, as we enter the new year, the top-ranked countries are now able to travel to a staggering 166 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan, which sits at the bottom of the ranking with access to just 28 countries without a visa.”
The index also found that in 2024, the least powerful passports are as follows:
- Afghanistan – 28
- Syria – 29
- Iraq – 31
- Pakistan – 34
- Yemen – 35
- Somalia – 36
- Libya, Nepal, Palestinian Territory – 40
- Bangladesh, North Korea – 42
- Eritrea, Sri Lanka – 43
- Iran, Lebanon, Nigeria, Sudan – 35
As evidenced by the Henley Passport Index, the influence passports wield is ever changing. And now, their physical role in travel is too.
According to a report by The Times, biometric gates which are being trialled early this year will allow passengers travelling to the UK by air to skip passport checks. This is intended to reduce friction while enhancing security. Back in September, Singapore’s Changi Airport similarly announced automated immigration clearance would allow passengers to pass through without showing or scanning their passports. Following in these footsteps, Canada and Vietnam are themselves progressing towards passport-free border checks.
As we move towards a future of seamless travel, the role of the physical passport is undergoing a transformative shift. For now, it remains a key component for navigating the world. But, in the years to come physical passports may be an artefact of the past.
For more like this see:
- Passengers Welcome Biometrics, IATA Finds
- From physical passport to Digital Travel Credential (DTC)
- Efficient passport checks with Digital Travel Credentials (DTC). “The world’s first transatlantic DTC pilot.”
