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 2024 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 2024, the most powerful passports in the world in terms of travel freedom according to the HPI are:
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Japan
- Singapore
- Spain
A passport issued by any of these countries allows the holder to enter 194 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. Finland, South Korea, and Sweden share 2nd place (193 destinations). Austria, Denmark, Ireland, and the Netherlands take 3rd place (192 destinations).
Belgian, British, Luxembourgish, Norwegian, and Portuguese passports tie for 4th (191 destinations). Greek, Maltese, and Swiss passports are co-ranked 5th (190).
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States also make the list of the top 10 passports in the world.
There are relatively few countries with visa requirements for Americans. US passport holders can visit 188 destinations visa-free.
Similarly, there are few visa requirements for British citizens, with no visa required in advance for 191 countries and territories.
Meanwhile, Australian and New Zealand passports allow access to 189 destinations without a visa, while a Canadian passport grants access to 188.
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 28 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
Syrian 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.
Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen round out the bottom 5 in 2024, with 31, 34, and 35 visa-free destinations, respectively.
The Top 10 Most Powerful Passports in the World
The top 10 most powerful passports in 2024 are those issued by France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Finland, South Korea, Sweden, and Ireland. However, since most 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.
