Doha: The Henley Passport Index has released its latest ranking and analysis on the world's most powerful passports.
The Henley Passport Index is the original ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access visa-free. The index includes 199 passports and 227 travel destinations, with its first ranking started on 2006.
The ranking is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), together with the Henley & Partners Research Department.
Based on the latest index, 27 out of 199 passports hold the top 10 positions in the ranking.
This year, Japan remains on the top spot of the index, which gives its passport holders access to 193 destinations around the world visa-free. Japan has been ranked first on the index since 2018, sharing the top spot with Singapore in 2019.
Singapore, on the other hand, has been placed second on the index since 2020, which gives its passport holders access to 192 destinations visa-free.
With a visa-free score of 191, Germany and South Korea shared the third spot since last year. Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain also retained their fourth position on the index for two consecutive years with a score of 190, two points higher compared to its score in 2020.
Austria has remained consistent on the fifth spot for three years in a row since 2018 as it shares the same position with Denmark since last year. With a visa-free score two points higher than last year, Austria and Denmark now give its passport holders access to 189 global destinations visa-free.
Jointly on the sixth spot, Sweden, France, Portugal, Netherlands, and Ireland gives its passports holders access to 188 global destinations. The four countries have remained on the same position since last year. Ireland remained on the sixth spot for three years in a row since 2018.
The seventh rank on the index is shared by Switzerland, United States, United Kingdom, Belgium, and New Zealand. This year, their visa-free score increased two points since last year as it now gives holders access to 187 destinations around the world.
Norway slipped one rank since last year as it shared the eighth spot with Greece, Malta, and Czech Republic this year with a visa-free score of 186.
While Canada held the ninth place consecutively since last year, Australia dropped one rank in this year's index. Based on the ranking, its passport holders can have access to 185 global destinations visa-free.
Since 2016, Hungary successively remained on the tenth spot, either alone or with other countries, as its score continuously progressed over the years. This year, its passport holders can give access to 184 global destinations without prior visa.
Qatar was ranked 59 in the list with access to 97 countries.
Compared to last year's index, the ten positions in the ranking remained occupied by the same 27 countries.
Top 10 most powerful passports:
Japan (193)
Singapore (192)
South Korea; Germany (191)
Italy; Finland; Spain; Luxembourg (190)
Denmark; Austria (189)
Sweden; France; Portugal; Netherlands; Ireland (188)
Switzerland; US; UK; Belgium; New Zealand (187)
Norway; Greece; Malta; Czech Republic (186)
Canada; Australia (185)
Hungary (184)
