In today’s world, traveling has become an integral part of our lives. Be it for leisure or work, many of us find ourselves regularly on the move across borders. However, one integral aspect that you may overlook is the safety of your travel documents. Losing these critical papers can turn a dream holiday into a
10 January 2023
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The passport rankings on this page were updated on July 19, 2023, according to the information provided by the HPI for the third quarter of the year.
A passport is the key to traveling abroad. However, some passports are considered to be “stronger” than others. The world’s most powerful passports are those that offer the greatest travel freedom.
The strongest passports are those that allow the holder to enter the most countries easily, without extra entry requirements, such as visas.
There are different factors that affect travel freedom and the strength of a passport. The Henley Passport Index (HPI), compiled by Henley & Partners, is regarded as the authority on passport strength. It ranks every passport in the world by the travel freedom it allows.
Find out the world passport ranking for 2023 below.
How Do You Measure the Strength of a Passport?
All sovereign states issue passports to their citizens. These documents are essential to travel to other countries. However, many destinations also require visitors to have a visa to enter.
In some cases, a country’s visa policy may allow travelers of certain nationalities to visit without a visa for a period of time. This is usually due to agreements between the 2 countries in question. In these situations, the traveler’s passport is all that is needed.
The more countries that a traveler can access visa-free, the more powerful their passport.
The Henley Passport Index ranks passports according to the number of destinations holders can enter without applying for a visa in advance (including both embassy visas and online visas).
The HPI ranks a passport highly if it allows the holder to visit many countries with any of the following entry criteria:
- Passport only
- Electronic travel authorization (eTA) / online visa waiver
- Visa on arrival
The World’s Strongest Passports for Travel Freedom
In 2023, the most powerful passport in the world in terms of travel freedom is the Singaporean passport, according to the HPI.
A passport issued by Singapore allows the holder to enter 192 different countries and territories without having to get a visa in advance.
European Union (EU) countries make up the bulk of the top-ranked passports. German, Italian, and Spanish passports share 2nd place (190 destinations).
Austria, Finland, France, Japan, Luxembourg, South Korea, and Sweden are tied for 3rd place. Passports issued by these countries grant visa-free travel to 189 destinations around the globe.
Danish, Irish, and Dutch passports tie for 4th (188 destinations). Belgian, Czech, Maltese, New Zealand, Norwegian, Portuguese, and Swiss passports are co-ranked 5th (187).
Hungarian and Polish are currently ranked 6th in the world, with 186 visa-free destinations. The top 10 passports in the world also include those issued by the US, the UK, and Canada.
There are relatively few countries with visa requirements for Americans. US passport holders can visit 184 destinations visa-free.
Similarly, there are few visa requirements for British citizens, with no visa required in advance for 188 countries and territories.
Meanwhile, Australian and Canadian passports allow access to 186 and 185 destinations without a visa, respectively.
See the visa requirements for Australians and the visa requirements for Canadians for further details about which destinations may be visited without a visa.
What Country Has the Weakest Passport?
Afghanistan has the weakest passport in the world by travel freedom.
The HPI places Afghanistan at the bottom of its list, in 104th place.
A passport issued by Afghanistan allows the holder to enter only 27 countries and territories without applying for a visa in advance. Of these, many still require the traveler to apply for a visa on arrival.
The Weakest Passports for Travel Freedom in the World
Iraqi passports are only just above those issued by Afghanistan in the HPI rankings, allowing entry to 29 destinations without getting a visa prior to the trip.
Syria, Pakistan, and Yemen round out the bottom 5 in 2023, with 30, 33, and 35 visa-free destinations, respectively.
The Top 10 Most Powerful Passports in the World
The top 10 most powerful passports in 2023 are those issued by Singapore, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Finland, France, Japan, Luxembourg, and South Korea. However, since many of these are tied for position, the top 10 positions have been listed in the table below.
They have been ranked in descending order according to the number of destinations passport holders can enter without applying for a visa before traveling.
The data presented below is based on the current HPI ranking for each passport.
The Top 10 Least Powerful Passports
The least powerful passports in terms of travel freedom are ranked below, according to the data presented by the HPI.
RankNumber of countries accessible without a visa in advance
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