Is your country’s passport in the privileged list of the “strongest”?
If you are lucky enough to hold the holy grail of passports, the one with the blue cover bearing the United States emblem of the bald eagle on the cover, you are most likely to say, “Yes!”
But you would be wrong, the American passport is not in the top of that list. You’ll have to be happy with a much lower ranking.
So what defines a “strong passport” if it’s not the power of the nation that it represents?
The strength of a passport is determined by how many countries its holders can enter without having to obtain a visa beforehand — the more countries with visa-free entry, the stronger the passport. A visa is an official document issued to a traveler that must be carried (along with a passport) throughout the visit, granting the traveler the right to enter and remain in the requested country for a predetermined amount of time. Applications, medical screenings, and even interviews are sometimes necessary to obtain a prior visa — so the ability to travel without one is much more convenient.
In 2024, six passports tied for first place in the Henley Passport Index, each granting visa-free access to 194 countries (a record-breaking number of nations). These passport holders have travel access to roughly 85% of the countries around the world.
The top six passports for 2024 are Italy, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, and Spain. Not only are they in first place this year, but these passports have consistently dominated the Henley Passport Index since its start in 2006.
Although there is a six-way tie for first place, when comparing these passports, Japan is the most powerful passport of them in recent history. It has held the number-one spot since 2018. In 2023, Japan stood alone in first place, with access to 193 countries, gaining an edge over Singapore and South Korea (which tied for second place in 2023). Singapore is also a particularly powerful passport — it has intermittently held first or second place since 2018.
Right behind these first-place holders, comes a tie for second place. This year, with visa-free access to 193 countries, we see that South Korea has jumped from 11th place in 2006 and has held second place since 2021. Finland, the Netherlands, and Sweden are currently tied with South Korea for second place. All the top-ranking passports for 2024 (from first to third place) are from Europe or Asia and offer access to at least 192 destinations.
The U.S. passport holds steady in sixth place (with 189 countries), moving up one place from its seventh-place ranking in 2023. America hasn’t been in first place for a decade, since 2014, when it tied with the U.K. at the top of the list.
Below is the list of the top 30 most powerful passports in 2024 and the number of visa-free entries the passport offers. Among those on this list, 20 are member states of the European Union, making it the most powerful passport region in the world. The entire global list and lists from previous years are available on the Henley Passport Index website.
- Italy (194) 1. France (194) 1. Germany (194) 1. Japan (194) 1. Singapore (194) 1. Spain (194) 2. Finland (193)
- Netherlands (193) 2. South Korea (193) 2. Sweden (193)
- Austria (192) 3. Denmark (192) 3. Ireland (192) 3. Luxembourg (192) 3. United Kingdom (192)
- Belgium (191) 4. Norway (191) 4. Portugal (191)
- Australia (190) 5. Greece (190) 5. Malta (190) 5. New Zealand (190) 5. Switzerland (190)
- Canada (189) 6. Czech Republic (189) 6. Poland (189) 6. United States (189)
- Hungary (188) 7. Lithuania (188)
- Estonia (187)
