What is the Henley Passport Index?

The Henley Passport Index is a ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. It is based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains a large travel information database and is enhanced by Henley & Partners’ research team.

The index includes 199 passports, giving users the most extensive and reliable information about their global access and mobility. With historical data spanning 17 years, it helps wealthy individuals and governments assess the value of citizenships around the world.

The ranking is given on the total number of destinations that the holder can access visa-free. For each travel destination, if no visa is required for passport holders from a country or territory, then a score of 1 is allocated for that passport.

This also applies if passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival, a visitor’s permit, or an electronic travel authority (ETA) upon entry. These visa types require no pre-departure government approval, because of the specific visa-waiver programs in place.

And in case a visa is required, or where a passport holder must apply for a government-approved electronic visa (e-Visa) before departure, a score of 0 is assigned. The same applies if they need pre-departure approval for a visa on arrival.

The top 10 most powerful passports in 2022 are those issued by Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Germany, Spain, Italy, Finland, Luxembourg, Austria, and Denmark

Japan, Singapore and South Korea have the most powerful passports. A Japanese passport provides hassle-free entry to 193 countries, one more than those from Singapore and South Korea. Russian travel documents are ranked 50th, giving easy access to 119 nations. China is placed 69th with access to 80 countries, India’s passport ranked 87th with visa-free access to 60 countries and Afghanistan’s passport, ranked 112th, is the least useful, getting the holder into only 27 countries.

The index’s historical data allows users to see how the strength of their passport has changed over the years and view the top climbers and fallers on the index.