The latest ranking released by the Henley Passport Index puts India’s passport at the 82nd position, with visa-free entry to 58 countries, including popular tourist spots like Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. This ranking is tied with Senegal and Tajikistan. The ranking is based on the International Air Transport Association (IATA) which maintains a precise database of travel information worldwide.
Singapore passport has been named the most powerful passport. It grants visa free access to 195 destinations. As per the list, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain follow closely behind Singapore, offering visa-free travel to 192 countries. Rounding out the top three are Austria, Finland, Ireland, and several others with access to 191 destinations.
The United Kingdom is in fourth place, alongside New Zealand, Norway, Belgium, Denmark and Switzerland. Australia and Portugal shared the No. 5 spot, while The United States fell to eighth place, with visa-free entry to 186 countries. The top spot for the US seems like a distant memory.
Christian Kaelin, chair of Henley and Partners, highlighted the widening global mobility gap between countries.
"The global average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024. However, the global mobility gap between those at the top and bottom of the index is now wider than it has ever been," he said in a statement.
The Henley Passport Index, established 19 years ago, is the leading authority on passport rankings. It utilises data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to track visa-free travel access for 227 countries. This user-friendly online tool is constantly updated to reflect changes in visa policies.