You’ll often see rankings of the world’s most useful (or “powerful”) passports, in terms of the number of destinations that can be visited without a visa. The latest rankings have just been published, and the United States continues to slip…
In this post:
The world’s most & least powerful passports
The latest Henley Passport Index has been published, which is based on data from the International Air Transportation Association (IATA), regarding the number of destinations that can be visited by travelers without a visa being required prior to travel.
With the updated list, here are the world’s top 10 most useful passports (there are actually some ties, as you can tell, so it’s really the 34 most useful passports):
- Singapore (visa free entry to 193 countries)
- South Korea (visa free entry to 190 countries)
- Japan (visa free entry to 189 countries)
- Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, and Switzerland (visa free entry to 188 countries)
- Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, and Netherlands (visa free entry to 187 countries)
- Greece, Hungary, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden (visa free entry to 186 countries)
- Australia, Czechia, Malta, and Poland (visa free entry to 185 countries)
- Croatia, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom (visa free entry to 184 countries)
- Canada (visa free entry to 183 countries)
- Latvia and Liechtenstein (visa free entry to 182 countries)
Meanwhile here are the world’s 10 least useful passports (really the 17 least useful ones, due to ties):
- Afghanistan (visa free entry to 24 countries)
- Syria (visa free entry to 26 countries)
- Iraq (visa free entry to 29 countries)
- Yemen and Pakistan (visa free entry to 31 countries)
- Somalia (visa free entry to 33 countries)
- Nepal (visa free entry to 36 countries)
- North Korea and Bangladesh (visa free entry to 38 countries)
- Eritrea, Libya, and Palestine (visa free entry to 39 countries)
- Iran, Sri Lanka, and Sudan (visa free entry to 41 countries)
- Congo and South Sudan (visa free entry to 43 countries)
Where does the United States passport rank?
Some people might be surprised to see that the United States doesn’t rank on the list of the world’s 10 most powerful passports. It actually ranks in 12th place, tying with Malaysia, allowing visa free entry to 180 countries. That really makes it the world’s 37th(ish) most useful passport, given that the top 10 list actually consists of 34 different passports.
The United States has certainly fallen over the years in this regard, because back in 2014, the United States had the world’s most powerful passport. But now for the first time in decades, the United States doesn’t even rank in the top 10 when it comes to passport power.
What has contributed to that? In reality, it only takes policy changes in a couple of countries to trigger big ranking changes. Specifically, those with passports from the United States no longer get visa free access to Brazil (unlike nationals of many other countries), on reciprocity grounds. Furthermore, countries like Vietnam have increased the number of countries to which it offers visa-free entry (including many European Union countries), but the United States isn’t among them.
So I wouldn’t be surprised if the United States stays off the top 10 list in the long term, especially given how widely the principle of reciprocity is used for travel requirements, and the United States doesn’t exactly make visa free travel easy for nationals of many countries.
Bottom line
Updated rankings have been published regarding the most and least useful passports in the world. For the first time, the United States has fallen off the top 10 list, which isn’t too surprising, given the visa requirements the United States has for nationals of other countries. Meanwhile North Korea ranks higher than most might expect, though I guess the challenge there is whether you can get out of the country, rather than whether you can get into another country.
Are there any passport rankings that surprise you?
In ICBM we trust.
The most powerful passport is the one backed by the deadliest WMD.
Who else can lead a peace summit where the leaders of the 2 factions you're trying to negotiate peace doesn't even show up but takes credit and calls it successful.
Can't do that without ICBMs.
US has the second largest coverage in consular support after China.
Esta free travel to the states is great. So having a Bermuda, or Canadian passport plus EU is probably the best combination for 95% of the travelers out there.
In some cases US citizens get some of the absolute best visas which permit much longer stays than other countries' passports which have visa free entry.
Examples include Russia where US citizens get a three year multiple entry visa and each stay can be up to 6 months (EU passports are visa free for 16 days only). China gives Americans 10 year, multiple entry, each stay 60 days (most visa free stays are only...
In some cases US citizens get some of the absolute best visas which permit much longer stays than other countries' passports which have visa free entry.
Examples include Russia where US citizens get a three year multiple entry visa and each stay can be up to 6 months (EU passports are visa free for 16 days only). China gives Americans 10 year, multiple entry, each stay 60 days (most visa free stays are only for 30 days).Given I traveled to both countries, I much prefer the visa.
So the best passport is not necessarily based solely on visa free travel.
Yes indeed. Depends on the metrics. Other ranking consider whether you have the right to work in the country and in this case you have, for example, the Irish passport (seeing as how DUB is in the Photo) as number one because it gives you the right to work in all EU countries plus the UK.
Wonderful to see so many educated and supposedly ethical fellow liberals plot their exit strategies when times get... kinda tough? I guess? We are still the most comfortable people on the planet, just FYI. And you are not getting chased down by ICE agents, stop it.
Before y'all run for the exits to Canada or the EU or UK, do a good comparative look at healthcare and social services. The only way the US gets...
Wonderful to see so many educated and supposedly ethical fellow liberals plot their exit strategies when times get... kinda tough? I guess? We are still the most comfortable people on the planet, just FYI. And you are not getting chased down by ICE agents, stop it.
Before y'all run for the exits to Canada or the EU or UK, do a good comparative look at healthcare and social services. The only way the US gets stomped out in any category is property taxation. I could move my family to a villa in Italy or France and pay 1/10th the taxes I'm paying on our homes in the States. And the VAT would be comparable to the ETR we pay annually in the US. I really urge folks to do the math.
But I get it, I was there once. Then I traveled to India and saw children living in filth on the streets in front of a luxury car dealership. Or the sociopathic street life in Australia/NZ on a weekend night. I became far more patriotic as an American and I am not giving up on the country that gave me and my family every opportunity at a globally 1% life.
Well, as long as you feel like you’re still ‘one of the good ones’ I guess you’ll have to fill us in on how that all works out for you, eh?
Speaking of taxation, we, US citizens, do still technically owe tax on our income, worldwide, so, unless folks renounce their citizenship, or don’t earn any money, we’ll all still be tied to the Uncle Sam via the IRS, sorta…
You just babbled online, good job. Hard to do in text.
Also good to see you manically posting all day and night without claiming to be a rich lawyer. The meds must be working.
What the hell were you on in that second paragraph? Just look at the tax code, it's very clear.
Lunatic.
Very cool!
We have looked at residency in Portugal. Is there anyplace that outlines procedures and costs besides contacting each individual Consulate?
Parker, as a frequent business and personal traveler, I concur!
Not surprised in the least that the US has fallen so far. I’m back to telling people I’m Canadian when traveling abroad. Too damn embarrassing to try am apologize / make excuses for the sh!t show people who don’t even own passports are inflicting on the US.
Please do not tell border controls overseas that you're Canadian, unless you actually are.
Why would anyone do that? I certainly don't want top be confused for a Canadian.
I always laugh at the militant Canadians that have to have a hat with the Maple Leaf, a pin on their Jacket, and a patch on their backpack to "make sure they aren't confused with United States citizens. The Quebecois are sure to only speak French in all situations to ensure no one thinks they are from Ontario.....
Please leave our country and move to Canada.
Steve K, only if you want to, and they'll let you.
Canada is just fine; good neighbors and allies. Let's not vilify them any more than our President is trying to already with the silly threats of annexation and wealth-killing tariffs.
Visas should be reciprocal. This of course is not always possible when GDP effects are factored in, but there should be parity.
Wow, so a German/US dual citizen has visa-free access to 188+180=368 countries!
All kidding aside, the difference between being able to access 188 and 180 countries is really marginal. The real-world consequences for an individual traveler really depend on where exactly one wants to go. And how long one wants to stay (e.g., a German passport is very useful for staying in Italy for 1 year or 10 years; a US passport, not so much).
These rankings are meaningless. Obviously an EU passport beats Singapore's for ability to move freely. Australian and New Zealand passports would also get a bump here, as would a lot of Commonwealth passports.
Why is that obvious?
Because an EU (+CH, NO, LIE, ICE) passport gives you the opportunity to visit AND WORK freely in more than 30 countries...
This list is silly. If you rank the power of a passport based on the ease of crossing a border (number of questions asked etc) and/or the ease of getting a visa/ETA this list would be very different.
I wish I could get their raw dataset to figure out what the best 2-passport combo would be. I imagine perhaps something like Malaysia and Germany, a friendly Asian Muslim country with a friendly European country.
Malaysia does not allow dual citizenship.
Malaysia is a moderate Muslim country same as Indonesia. But I do not consider Germany a friendly European country because the white nationalist groups originate there and they spread to other western countries. Germans are adverse to unilingual
English native speakers.
Yeesh, globetrotter, that’s a fairly negative view of Germany. I get it, historically, there’s some really bad stuff coming outta there, but, today, I’m not sure your take is entirely fair as they’ve come a long way.
Starting with the Treaty of Paris (1951), West Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, lead the way to what eventually became the European Union, and a better connected, more inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous continent.
...Yeesh, globetrotter, that’s a fairly negative view of Germany. I get it, historically, there’s some really bad stuff coming outta there, but, today, I’m not sure your take is entirely fair as they’ve come a long way.
Starting with the Treaty of Paris (1951), West Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, lead the way to what eventually became the European Union, and a better connected, more inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous continent.
No society is perfect (and there are often outliers, even today), but Germans are more welcoming and tolerant now than throughout much of history.
Of course the US passport has fallen further down the rankings. The country is a hotbed of fascism, violence, racism, and conducts itself on the global stage in the most offensive, embarrassing manner possible.
Well, when you put it that way... *deep sigh*
Another interesting twist is dual (or multiple) citizenship, and deciding which passport to use where, depending on visa-free, or reduced fees, etc. Likewise, when you use one to enter, remember to use the same one to exit, or... 'problems.'
Except for those countries that restrict you to one citizenship, such as China, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and many in Africa and Asia, like Botswana, Indonesia, and Iran.
Iran does not limit you to one citizenship. You can not renounce it though.
As one probably should (if they can get out, and get a different one)...
Not Botswana anymore. From next year they are selling citizenship by investment for 75-90 depending on family size and you don't have to relinquish your primary citizenship.
I don't think anyone should have a passport from more than one nation. I don't care what your parents were, etc. Allegiance to one. That's it.
Steve K, if you're even an American, you have ancestry from another country, too. We're all immigrants here, one way or another, but for the Native Americans.
There is no reason to force upon anyone else your faux litmus test for 'loyalty'...
Not always. The rule of dual US-MEX citizens is that you must use the passport in which you have citizenship to enter that country. So, the USA passport to enter the USA and the Mexican passport to enter México.
The rules for LEAVING a country are convuluted and seem to depend on the entry requirements of the country you are going TO.
Yet the most important factor is being able to seamlessly enter the US, making the US passport still more relevant.
Maybe... like, for people who live in the USA, have family or business here, or want to visit (tourism), but for the rest of the world, they don't care all that much, especially these days.
The US continues to be one of the top countries for tourism and business.
So you can pretend to be indifferent online, but still holds true for the majority of the first world.
yoloswag420, NYC, Singapore, London, Dubai, Tokyo, Seoul, Paris, and Rome remain some of the top overall destinations in the world. However, according to the US Travel Association, our numbers (in the USA) are down in 2025, compared to other years, such as an approximate 14% decline in international arrivals compared to 2024, and a projected 13 million fewer visitors compared to pre-pandemic 2019 levels. Specifically, a lot of Canadians canceled their trips this year, which...
yoloswag420, NYC, Singapore, London, Dubai, Tokyo, Seoul, Paris, and Rome remain some of the top overall destinations in the world. However, according to the US Travel Association, our numbers (in the USA) are down in 2025, compared to other years, such as an approximate 14% decline in international arrivals compared to 2024, and a projected 13 million fewer visitors compared to pre-pandemic 2019 levels. Specifically, a lot of Canadians canceled their trips this year, which is not great for regions than depend on their tourism dollars (like Florida).
Yep and the US economy will continue to be the most important in the world in spite of that.
Well, since I live and 'prosper' thanks to the US economy, I sure hope so, but, I also think we could do even better, if we weren't so frequently shooting ourselves in the food, say, with completely unnecessary, untargeted, illegal (not approved by Congress) wealth-killing tariffs.
US soft power, which is the source of much of the country's influence around the world and has been taken for granted for decades, is absolutely not a given. I'm afraid we're about to learn this the hard way.
Thyme Crisis, yeah, we know, in this era, the downfall began with invading Iraq on false pretenses in 2003… WMDs? Oil!
Which is interesting because… Venezuela, drugs? Also oil!
Possessing a U.S. passport subjects to taxation irrespective of residency. This an utterly nonsensical notion.... So I would argue that it's one of the most disadvantageous passports, rivalled only by that of Eritrea which has the same tax concept.
"Possessing a U.S. passport subjects to taxation irrespective of residency."
There are exemptions to foreign income in the US tax code for the vast majority of earners. You have no idea what you're talking about.
Tell that to my 109 page tax return and $5000 accountant bill every year to not run afoul of ridiculous reporting rules to end up owing - NOT - nothing (less, but not nothing).
Hmm, I'm not convinced who is the one who doesn't know what they are talking about.
American citizens, even those who were born there and left the next day never to return, are subject to US taxation on all their income, and are legally obliged to file. Citizens of almost every other country do not have to file in their home country unless they are resident there. Sure there might be credits for foreign tax...
Hmm, I'm not convinced who is the one who doesn't know what they are talking about.
American citizens, even those who were born there and left the next day never to return, are subject to US taxation on all their income, and are legally obliged to file. Citizens of almost every other country do not have to file in their home country unless they are resident there. Sure there might be credits for foreign tax Americans pay, but only if the US has a taxation agreement with that country.
These ranking fail because they just consider one measure, visas. How about electronic authorizations, especially those that are not free? How about propensity of the government to help if you are kidnapped? Being a neutral country doesn't always help. Just look at the Thai people kidnapped in Gaza.
Costs is another factor. Australia has a very expensive passport. The U.S. is slightly behind Australia. Taiwan's passport fees are low.
You aren't kidding about Australia... AUD 412, which is about USD 267.
Big bikkies.
Those Thai people got swept up in the attack by being in the wrong place, the festival, at the wrong time, the violent amphibious attack. However, they were released in the first cease fire. It should not be called "the most powerful" passports but rather the world's top ranking passports based on visa waivers only. This ranking implicitly emphasizes the likelihood the passport holders conduct themselves in the host countries and the duration of the...
Those Thai people got swept up in the attack by being in the wrong place, the festival, at the wrong time, the violent amphibious attack. However, they were released in the first cease fire. It should not be called "the most powerful" passports but rather the world's top ranking passports based on visa waivers only. This ranking implicitly emphasizes the likelihood the passport holders conduct themselves in the host countries and the duration of the visit. It is designed for leisure travel purpose only, not for business or immigration status. Tourists should not bank on the embassy's staff to bail them out . They must behave accordingly and be vigilant not to put themselves in harm's way.
This is a serious question folks and not a wind-up …. Is it true that less than 25% of U.S. Citizens are passport holders?
Recently, those numbers have gone up... you know, because... *gestures broadly* 'current events'
Per the US State Department: "...reaching an all-time high of nearly 170 million in early 2025." (Though, they also cite the cause may also be people seeking an alternative to REAL ID.)
The issue is more closely related to REAL ID rather than "current events". Despite the fairly easy ability to enter and stay in the US without permission, the same doesn't hold true anywhere else in the world. So, even with your passport if you decide to migrate there without permission from the US the odds of you being deported back to the US are extremely high.
Oh, Komma, we're talking about two issues, one, increased number of US citizens getting their passports (in-part, due to REAL ID, but also, some fear the new administration's adverse policies and want to be able to leave if they can), and, two, separately, visitors to our country (the USA) are down, both business and tourism (according to the US Travel Association, an approximate 14% decline in international arrivals compared to 2024, and a projected 13...
Oh, Komma, we're talking about two issues, one, increased number of US citizens getting their passports (in-part, due to REAL ID, but also, some fear the new administration's adverse policies and want to be able to leave if they can), and, two, separately, visitors to our country (the USA) are down, both business and tourism (according to the US Travel Association, an approximate 14% decline in international arrivals compared to 2024, and a projected 13 million fewer visitors compared to pre-pandemic 2019 levels.) So, we're still recovering from the pandemic; we're also shooting ourselves in the foot with anti-foreign sentiments. You're welcome to try to sane-wash, or deny any of this, but it's happening.
It's somewhere in the realm of 50% now, up from around 30% in 2008. As mentioned, partially because Real ID, and I think also partially because Caribbean, New England, and Alaska cruises have all become more accessible and most of them require a passport. The number of Americans traveling abroad has also greatly increased, especially with the comparative strength of the US dollar and US economy post-COVID through to early 2025.
1990, Komma and Dusty, thank you for responding, I appreciate all your information and will update my brain cell.
And, if you live in places like Miami, like Ben, you've got some of the best routes throughout the Caribbean from MIA airport. So, to not have a passport would be a real lost opportunity to explore your own region. Same goes for NYC, with flights all over the world; you could visit Europe or Asia for a long-weekend! Yet, I can understand if folks never leave their county in the middle of the country,...
And, if you live in places like Miami, like Ben, you've got some of the best routes throughout the Caribbean from MIA airport. So, to not have a passport would be a real lost opportunity to explore your own region. Same goes for NYC, with flights all over the world; you could visit Europe or Asia for a long-weekend! Yet, I can understand if folks never leave their county in the middle of the country, or cannot afford it, because international travel is indeed a privilege. In fact, while the US Constitution preserves the right to interstate travel (between states) it is not a 'right' to travel internationally, lest we forget.
…. 1990, are you trying to overload my brain cell on this very informative school day?
Seriously, an interesting update which I am sure few American citizens are aware of. Thank you too.
As a native of a third world country, I can categorically say that it absolutely sucks not to have a first world country passport.
It is tricky to use the number of visa-free countries as the single standard for "powerful".
Yeah, nothing to do with power just ease of travel. If I were to rank passports by how powerful they are, I would rank Switzerland #1. The Swiss hold the world’s money in their banks and nobody is going to mess with them and risk losing access to their money.
You are not aware of the IRS break down the secret bank accounts that the American elites were hiding in Switzerland more than a decade ago. It was an interesting read of the journey that the IRS traveled to beat down Switzerland's
banking secrecy laws and offered amnesty of one year for those Americans to volunteer to fess up or face huge fines and prison time. IRS is the world's most ruthless government tax...
You are not aware of the IRS break down the secret bank accounts that the American elites were hiding in Switzerland more than a decade ago. It was an interesting read of the journey that the IRS traveled to beat down Switzerland's
banking secrecy laws and offered amnesty of one year for those Americans to volunteer to fess up or face huge fines and prison time. IRS is the world's most ruthless government tax agency with bottomless resources and vast expertise.
Today, Republicans choke off the IRS funding to protect the wealthy and powerful.
I always think this ranking is misleading/meaningless without weighting by number of visitors or GDP of each visa free country. It’s silly to rank US and Malaysia the same.
Reality stinks but reality does eventually sink in. We are on a downward trend that we don’t want to admit ourselves.
An Irish passport is uniquely powerful due to its high ranking on visa-free access to vacation destinations but, more importantly, granting right of abode across the EU *and* UK
The U.S. may have fallen from the top 10 but it's still infinitely better than when I had my passport from one of these "weaker" countries. The amount of paperwork, money, and effort it took to apply to a single-entry visa to so many of these "stronger" countries was absurd. Ironically, as you mentioned - US citizens need a visa for Brazil and Vietnam which would've been visa-free from my previous citizenship lol!
As for Brazil, it is reciprocal retaliation. The Vietnamese Americans are strong anti-communists, even after five decades after the fall of Saigon. There were cases, three decades ago, in which these tourists visited the country with the intent to destabilize the government. Visa requirement is a must to screen potential disruptors.
Just renewed my US passport at $130.00 via snail mail. Turn around time was just short of 4 weeks.
Photo page incased in "hard plastic" with a second color photo on the signature page above.
For what I paid, was hoping the US ranking would be a bit better =;-)
I renewed mine online, and it surprisingly only took about ~2 weeks from the time I applied until I received it in the mail.
Agreed, the online renewals and processing times have become much better since the pandemic and following the REAL ID and Trump 2.0 'rush.'
If your passport can take you to: Schengen, UK, Mainland China, Japan, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand
It’s plenty powerful. Visa application to everywhere else is comparatively easy/painless. Malaysian passport holders are afforded access to all the above except Canada & U.S., while Brunei passport holders can visit the U.S. with ESTA but not Brazil/much of Latin America
And it’s not just Vietnam expanding visa-free access to Europeans. It’s PR China, too. Netherlands, France, Germany,...
If your passport can take you to: Schengen, UK, Mainland China, Japan, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand
It’s plenty powerful. Visa application to everywhere else is comparatively easy/painless. Malaysian passport holders are afforded access to all the above except Canada & U.S., while Brunei passport holders can visit the U.S. with ESTA but not Brazil/much of Latin America
And it’s not just Vietnam expanding visa-free access to Europeans. It’s PR China, too. Netherlands, France, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, and more