Singapore has the world’s strongest passport — once more, in response to the newest Henley Passport Index.
The rating, launched Tuesday, reveals the small nation-state retaining the highest spot within the index, after it broke a six-way tie for the accolade earlier this 12 months.
In 2024, Singapore shared the highest rating with Japan, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.
The newest rating reveals Japan and South Korea tied for second place, with the opposite former No. 1 contenders tied for third place with Denmark, Finland and Eire.
The Henley Passport Index is a extensively adopted rating of worldwide passports, which assesses passport energy by one metric — the variety of locations holders can go to with no need to acquire a previous visa. The index ranks international locations in response to knowledge offered by the Worldwide Air Transport Affiliation, it mentioned.
The rating focuses primarily on ease of journey, whereas one other rating intently monitored by CNBC Journey, the Nomad Passport Index, ranks passports by 5 standards, together with taxation, and is extra targeted on world citizenship.
Henley’s newest rating reveals the U.S. passport slipping to tenth place from ninth.The UK’s passport additionally moved down the checklist, touchdown in sixth place from fifth, it confirmed.
This represents a continuation of a “long-term downward pattern” for the 2 international locations — each of which had been as soon as thought of essentially the most highly effective passports on the earth, in response to Henley & Companions.
“Notably, the U.S. is now getting ready to exiting the Prime 10 altogether for the primary time within the index’s 20-year historical past,” the corporate mentioned in a press release.
The highest 10 checklist reveals a rating principally dominated by European international locations, however led by three key Asian economies:
1 Singapore
2. Japan
2. South Korea
3. Denmark
3. Finland
3. France
3. Germany
3. Eire
3. Italy
3. Spain
4. Austria
4. Belgium
4. Luxembourg
4. Netherlands
4. Norway
4. Portugal
4. Sweden
5. Greece
5. New Zealand
5. Switzerland
6. United Kingdom
7. Australia
7. Czechia
7. Hungary
7. Malta
7. Poland
8. Canada
8. Estonia
8. United Arab Emirates
9. Croatia
9. Latvia
9. Slovakia
9. Slovenia
10. Iceland
10. Lithuania
10. United States
Singaporeans can entry 193 international locations with no need a visa, whereas the international locations tied for the tenth spot can entry 182, in response to the rating.
Largest movers
India’s passport jumped essentially the most of any nation previously six months, rising to 77th from eighty fifth, in response to Henley & Companions.
An evaluation of the rating over the previous decade confirmed the UAE rising 34 locations within the rating, the corporate mentioned. It’s the solely “large riser” to interrupt into the highest 10 throughout this time, it mentioned.
China additionally rose 34 spots previously 10 years, the corporate mentioned, a transfer it referred to as “notably spectacular” contemplating that China does not have visa-free entry to Europe’s Schengen Space.
Afghanistan’s passport remained in final place on the checklist, granting visa-free entry to only 25 international locations worldwide, the corporate mentioned.