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Global Passport Ranking 2025: In today’s increasingly interconnected world, the ability to travel freely has become a vital asset for individuals, with passports playing a crucial role in facilitating this freedom. Countries with stronger passports tend to enjoy better diplomatic relationships, which simplifies international travel for their citizens, whereas those with weaker passports often face significant obstacles that limit their global mobility and engagement options.
As of 2025, Singapore continues to lead the way as home to the world’s strongest passport, offering its holders visa-free access to an impressive 195 destinations. Following closely behind, Japan ranks second with access to 193 destinations, having successfully regained visa-free travel for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the rest of the top ten are primarily dominated by the European nations, there are notable exceptions that include Australia, the United States, and Canada.
In a remarkable mention, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) passport stands out, as it now has gained access to an additional 72 destinations since 2015, ranking in the 10th spot globally and offering visa-free access to a total of 185 destinations as of 2025.
| Rank 2025 | Country | Visa-free Score |
| 1 | Singapore | 195 |
| 2 | Japan | 193 |
| 3 | Finland | 192 |
| 4 | France | 191 |
| 4 | Germany | 191 |
| 4 | Italy | 191 |
| 4 | South Korea | 191 |
| 4 | Spain | 191 |
| 4 | Austria | 191 |
| 5 | Denmark | 190 |
| 5 | Ireland | 190 |
| 5 | Luxembourg | 190 |
| 5 | Netherlands | 190 |
| 5 | Norway | 190 |
| 5 | Sweden | 190 |
| 5 | Belgium | 190 |
| 6 | New Zealand | 189 |
| 6 | Portugal | 189 |
| 6 | Switzerland | 189 |
| 6 | United Kingdom | 189 |
| 6 | Australia | 189 |
| 7 | Greece | 188 |
| 7 | Canada | 188 |
| 8 | Malta | 187 |
| 8 | Poland | 187 |
| 8 | Czechia | 187 |
| 9 | Hungary | 186 |
| 9 | Estonia | 186 |
| 10 | United States | 185 |
| 10 | Latvia | 185 |
| 10 | United Arab Emirates | 185 |
| 10 | Lithuania | 185 |
Source: Henley Passport Index Q1 2025
In contrast, India’s passport ranking has slipped to 85th place in Q1 2025, down five spots from the previous year.
Notably, India’s previous position in the Henley Passport Index was 80th in 2024, and its historical trajectory shows its lowest rank at 90th in 2021, while its strongest performance occurred in 2006 when it was ranked 71st.
At the other end of the table, at No. 106, Afghanistan remains in the worst position, with visa-free access to only 26 locations, two less than last year. Syria is at No. 105 (with 27 destinations), while Iraq is at No. 104 (with 31).
This restricted access is often influenced by factors such as political instability, where ongoing conflicts, civil wars, and unstable governments hinder diplomatic relations and travel agreements.
Security concerns, economic challenges, and limited diplomatic relations in weaker nations can lead to stricter visa policies, limiting travel freedom for citizens.
Furthermore, economic challenges, limited diplomatic relations, and negative media coverage can also contribute to these policies, making it more difficult for citizens to travel freely.
| Rank 2025 | Country | Visa-free Score |
| 105 | Afghanistan | 27 |
| 104 | Syria | 31 |
| 103 | Yemen | 33 |
| 103 | Iraq | 33 |
| 103 | Pakistan | 33 |
| 102 | Somalia | 39 |
| 101 | Nepal | 39 |
| 100 | Libya | 40 |
| 100 | Palestinian Territory | 40 |
| 100 | Bangladesh | 40 |
| 99 | North Korea | 41 |
| 98 | Eritrea | 42 |
| 97 | Sudan | 43 |
| 96 | Sri Lanka | 44 |
Source: Henley Passport Index Q1 2025
