The global passport rankings for 2023 have just become even more intriguing. For the past five years, Japan has held the coveted No.1 position in the Henley Passport Index, which assesses global travel freedom based on visa-free and visa-on-demand access enjoyed by citizens.
However, in the summer of 2023, Japan has been pushed down to third place, making way for Singapore to claim the top spot. Singaporean citizens can now visit 193 destinations out of 227 around the world without a visa.
While Asia has traditionally dominated the upper echelons of the passport index created by Henley & Partners, a London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm, Europe is making a comeback.
Germany, Italy, and Spain have climbed up to second place, offering visa-free access to 190 destinations. Joining Japan and South Korea in third place are Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, and Sweden, with citizens of these countries enjoying visa-free access to 189 destinations.
The United States and the United Kingdom have witnessed a decline in their passport power since jointly holding the No.1 position in 2014. However, the UK is showing signs of improvement as it has made a significant jump of two positions to reach No.4, a position it last held in 2017.
On the other hand, the US has slipped two places further to claim the eighth spot, granting access to only 183 destinations without a visa.
The Henley Passport Index, which ranks 199 passports worldwide, relies on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). It is continuously updated throughout the year to reflect changes in visa policies.
The Indian passport improved by five places and is now ranked 80th in the latest Henley Passport Index, and it provides visa-free access to 57 destinations.