What are the world’s most powerful passports, and how does yours rank?

Ever wondered what the most powerful passports in the world are? Or more importantly, where yours ranks among the rest? Learn more about what makes a passport powerful and how your passport measures up.

Powerful passport: what does that mean?

First things first – what does it even mean to have a powerful passport? A strong passport is one that has access to many other countries visa-free. The strongest passports in the world allow you to travel to most places unhindered.

So which country do you think has the best passport in the world? Many might assume the United States of America. But if that was your guess, you’d be wrong.

Which country has the most powerful passport?

The strongest passport in the world actually belongs to Singapore. That’s right – people with Singaporean passports have access to a whopping 193 countries out of the 227 destinations in the world, as measured by Henley & Partners. That’s 85% of the world, and Singapore beats those holding the number 2 spot by 3 countries.

How strong is the U.S. passport?

The U.S. passport is in 6th place, with access to 186 countries visa-free. Fun fact – we’re actually tied with Greece, Poland and Czechia for 6th place.

Which countries are on the top 5 of the best passports in the world?

So, if the U.S. isn’t in the top 5 of the most powerful passports in the world, let’s see who is:

1. Singapore (access to 193 countries)
2. Germany, France, Finland, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Japan, South Korea (access to 190 countries)
3. The UK, Ireland, Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg, Netherlands (access to 189 countries)
4. Belgium, Malta, Norway, Portugal (access to 188 countries)
5. Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland (access to 187 countries)

The 10 least powerful passports

The weakest passport comes in at 107th place, with access to just 27 countries visa-free. This passport belongs to Afghanistan.

The 10 weakest passports are:

• Afghanistan with access to just 27 countries
• Iraq with access to 29 countries
• Syria follows close behind with 30
• Pakistan has access to 33
• Yemen and Somalia are tied with 35
• The Palestinian Territory comes in at 38 countries
• Nepal follows with 39
• North Korea and Bangladesh are tied, with access to 40 countries.

Is the “power” of a passport important?

Does having the best passport in the world matter? Well, if you never plan to leave your home country, it may not matter much to you. But if you’re looking to travel at all, no matter the purpose, there are many benefits to having a powerful passport.

The most powerful passports in the world obviously make leisure travel much easier. But having a strong passport also offers the opportunity to travel for business and education. It gives people easier access to the global economy and contributes to a more globalized mindset.

Those with weak passports are barred from entering countries that may provide opportunities for them to educate themselves and improve their economic status. Those with strong passports, however, have access to the world to expand their minds and their wallets.

The openness ranking

Henley & Partners have recently started ranking all 199 countries on openness – that is, how many nationalities they allow into their own country visa-free. This represents how open a given country is to outsiders, and whether they’re able to attract visitors.

Put simply, the most open countries are the ones where the greatest number of nationalities can enter visa-free

Top 5 most open destinations

While there are many countries that are considered open, five of them stand out among the rest because of their natural beauty and safe atmosphere.

Seychelles

The Seychelles has an openness percentage of 99.49%, allowing visa-free access to 197 countries. This small island country off the coast of Africa is a popular destination known for its beaches.

Find flights to Seychelles

Dominica

Dominica, which allows access to 197 nationalities, is known for its tropical rainforests and natural hot springs within its beautiful national parks.

Find flights to Dominica

Cape Verde

Cape Verde is an African country located in the central Atlantic. Famous for its volcanic islands, this is the perfect place to explore nature before sunbathing at the beach. It allows visa-free access to 197 nationalities.

Find flights to Cape Verde

Samoa

Samoa is a small island country in the Pacific. This largely untouched paradise is famous for its relaxed way of life. It allows visa-free access to 198 nationalities, tying for 1st place in the openness ranking.

Find flights to Samoa

Tuvalu

Tuvalu is located in Oceania and is made up of 9 islands. It is famous for its coral reefs and its marine conservation efforts. It currently allows visa-free access to 198 nationalities.

Find flights to Tuvalu

Conclusion

Now that you know which countries are the most open and how your passport ranks, you’ll be planning your next trip in no time! It’s time to put that passport to good use and start looking for flights to your next destination. If you liked this guide, you might enjoy some international travel tips before your trip.

The foregoing article was last updated on the 5th of October 2023. It does not contain legal advice and is for informational purposes only. KAYAK does not guarantee, and accepts no legal liability arising from or connected to, the accuracy, reliability, currency or completeness of any of the information contained in this article and/or any of the content linked to within it. Always check the official government website of your departure and arrival destinations prior to travel for up-to-date information.
Sources:
https://www.henleyglobal.com/passport-index/ranking
https://www.henleyglobal.com/publications/henley-openness-index
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/