(CTN News) – In a surprising turn of events for the global passport rankings 2023, Singapore has taken the crown as the world’s most powerful passport, surpassing Japan’s long-standing reign.
The Henley Passport Index, which measures global travel freedom based on visa-free and visa-on-demand access for citizens, revealed that Singaporeans now enjoy visa-free entry to an impressive 193 out of 227 destinations worldwide.
Europe, too, is witnessing a resurgence, with Germany, Italy, and Spain claiming the second spot on the index, granting their citizens visa-free access to 190 destinations.
Japan and South Korea now share the third position with Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, and Sweden, allowing their citizens visa-free entry to 189 destinations.
The United States and the United Kingdom, once joint holders of the No.1 spot in 2014, have experienced a steady decline in their rankings.
The UK, however, is showing signs of improvement, climbing two spots to reach the No.4 position, a rank it last held in 2017. In contrast, the US has slipped further, landing at the eighth spot, with access to only 183 destinations visa-free.
Based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Henley Passport Index ranks 199 passports worldwide and is updated in real-time to reflect changes in visa policies.
Over the past 18 years, the average number of destinations accessible visa-free to travelers has nearly doubled, rising from 58 in 2006 to 109.
However, the disparity between the top and bottom rankings is now wider than ever. Citizens of Afghanistan have the least travel freedom, with access to only 27 destinations without a prior visa, closely followed by Iraq and Syria.
Singapore’s impressive rise in the rankings can be attributed to its decade-long efforts to secure greater travel freedom for its citizens. Similarly, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has made significant strides, adding 107 destinations to its visa-free score since 2013.
Other financial firms also create passport indexes, with Arton Capital’s Global Passport Power Rank 2023 placing the UAE at the top with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 180. 11 countries, mostly in Europe share the second place, while the UK, the US, and Japan occupy the fourth spot.
The decline of the US in the rankings serves as a cautionary tale for neighboring Canada and the rest of the Anglosphere, emphasizing the importance of maintaining efforts to secure travel freedom for citizens in a rapidly changing global landscape.
1. Singapore (192 destinations)
2. Germany, Italy, Spain (190 destinations)
3. Austria, Finland, France, Japan, Luxembourg, South Korea, Sweden (189)
4. Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, UK (188 destinations)
5. Belgium, Czech Republic, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland (187 destinations)
6. Australia, Hungary, Poland (186 destinations)
7. Canada, Greece (185 destinations)
8. Lithuania, United States (184 destinations)
9. Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia (183 destinations)
10. Estonia, Iceland (182 destinations)
Three countries worldwide have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 30 or fewer countries. These are:
101. Syria (30 destinations)
102. Iraq (29 destinations)
103. Afghanistan (27 destinations)
