Japan and Singapore are still the world’s most powerful passports, a new global ranking has revealed, as their citizens can visit 192 countries visa-free.
Â
The ranking also reveals that Ukraine has a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 143, a ‘record high’ for the country, and now ranks in 34th place, climbing up one spot since January. Russia trails behind in 49th place, with a score of 117, falling from 46th earlier this year.
Â
Meanwhile, the UK passport has climbed the ranks from 6th place to 5th with a visa-free score of 187, while the US passport is one step behind in 6th place with a score of 186.
Â
Germany and South Korea remain in second place overall, with passport holders able to travel to 190 destinations without a visa.
Â
Third place is shared between Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain, with their passport holders able to access 189 destinations around the world without having to acquire a visa in advance.
Â
Nigeria and Ethiopia are both ranked 99 in overall, with passport holders able to travel to 45 destinations without a visa.
Â
Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the ranking with its nationals only able to access 26 destinations visa-free.
Â
According to The Henley Passport Index, the latest passport ranking shows that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has led to millions of Ukrainians fleeing to neighbouring countries, has had a ‘profound and perhaps irreversible impact on freedom of movement within the region as a new Iron Curtain descends’.
Â
In response to Russia’s actions, the EU and the US closed their airspaces to Russian air carriers, and travel bans were imposed on individual Russian citizens. According to a statement accompanying the 2022 passport index results, such restrictions are ‘effectively condemning the Russian passport to junk status throughout much of the developed world’.
Â
Russia’s sliding position in the ranking is likely to drop even further in the months to come, according to the report’s findings.
Â
Commenting on the ranking, Dr Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners and the inventor of the passport index concept, says: ‘As the value of the Russian passport rapidly declines and the world opens its doors to Ukrainians, it is abundantly clear that the passport you hold determines your fate and dramatically impacts the opportunities you have.
Â
‘While it is impossible to predict what the world will look like in the shadow of a new Cold War, the latest index suggests that the divide between Russia and much of the Western world will only increase.’
Â
THE HENLEY PASSPORT POWER INDEX GLOBAL RANKING 2022.
Â
1 Japan 192 visa-free countries
1 Singapore 192
2 Germany 190
2 South Korea 190
3 Finland 189
3 Italy 189
3 Luxembourg 189
3 Spain 189
4 Austria 188
4 Denmark 188
4 Netherlands 188
4 Sweden 188
5 France 187
5 Ireland 187
5 Portugal 187
5 United Kingdom 187
6 Belgium 186
6 New Zealand 186
6 Norway 186
6 Switzerland 186
6 United States 186
7 Australia 185
7 Canada 185
7 Czech Republic 185
7 Greece 185
7 Malta 185
8 Hungary 183
9 Poland 182
9 Lithuania 182
9 Slovakia 182
10 Estonia 181
10 Latvia 181
10 Slovenia 181
11 Iceland 180
12 Malaysia 179
13 Liechtenstein 178
14 Cyprus 176
15 United Arab Emirates 175
16 Chile 174
16 Monaco 174
16 Romania 174
17 Bulgaria 173
17 Croatia 173
18 Hong Kong (SAR China) 171
19 Argentina 170
20 Brazil 169
20 San Marino 169
21 Andorra 168
22 Brunei 166
23 Barbados 162
24 Israel 159
24 Mexico 159
25 St. Kitts and Nevis 156
26 Bahamas 155
27 Uruguay 153
27 Vatican City 153
28 Seychelles 152
29 St. Vincent and the Grenadines 151
30 Antigua and Barbuda 150
30 Costa Rica 150
30 Trinidad and Tobago 150
31 Mauritius 146
31 St. Lucia 146
32 Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) 145
33 Dominica 144
33 Grenada 144
33 Macao (SAR China) 144
34 Ukraine 143
35 Panama 142
36 Paraguay 141
37 Serbia 136
38 Peru 135
39 El Salvador 134
40 Guatemala 133
40 Honduras 133
41 Colombia 131
41 Samoa 131
41 Solomon Islands 131
42 Tonga 129
42 Venezuela 129
43 Nicaragua 127
43 Tuvalu 127
44 North Macedonia 125
45 Kiribati 123
45 Montenegro 123
46 Marshall Islands 122
47 Moldova 120
48 Palau Islands 119
49 Russian Federation 117
49 Bosnia and Herzegovina 117
49 Micronesia 117
50 Georgia 115
51 Albania 114
52 Turkey 110
53 South Africa 104
54 Belize 101
55 Qatar 98
55 Vanuatu 98
56 Kuwait 95
57 Timor-Leste 93
58 Ecuador 91
59 Nauru 89
60 Fiji 88
60 Maldives 88
61 Guyana 87
62 Botswana 86
62 Jamaica 86
63 Bahrain 84
64 Papua New Guinea 82
65 Oman 80
66 China 79
66 Bolivia 79
66 Saudi Arabia 79
66 Thailand 79
67 Namibia 78
68 Belarus 77
68 Lesotho 77
68 Suriname 77
69 Kazakhstan 75
70 eSwatini 74
71 Malawi 73
72 Kenya 72
72 Tanzania 72
73 Indonesia 71
73 Tunisia 71
73 Zambia 71
74 Dominican Republic 70
75 Azerbaijan 69
76 Gambia 68
77 Uganda 67
78 Cape Verde Islands 66
78 Philippines 66
79 Armenia 65
79 Zimbabwe 65
80 Cuba 64
80 Ghana 64
80 Morocco 64
81 Kyrgyzstan 63
81 Sierra Leone 63
82 Mozambique 62
83 Benin 61
83 Mongolia 61
83 Rwanda 61
84 India 60
84 Sao Tome and Principe 60
85 Mauritania 59
85 Tajikistan 59
86 Burkina Faso 58
87 Gabon 57
87 Uzbekistan 57
88 Cote d’Ivoire 56
88 Senegal 56
89 Equatorial Guinea 55
89 Madagascar 55
90 Guinea 54
90 Mali 54
90 Togo 54
90 Vietnam 54
91 Bhutan 53
91 Cambodia 53
91 Chad 53
91 Comores Islands 53
91 Niger 53
92 Algeria 52
92 Central African Republic 52
92 Egypt 52
92 Guinea-Bissau 52
92 Jordan 52
92 Turkmenistan 52
93 Burundi 51
94 Angola 50
94 Cameroon 50
94 Laos 50
95 Liberia 49
96 Congo (Rep.) 48
96 Haiti 48
97 Djibouti 47
98 Myanmar 46
99 Ethiopia 45
99 Nigeria 45
100 South Sudan 44
101 Eritrea 43
102 Congo (Dem. Rep.) 42
102 Iran 42
103 Lebanon 41
103 Sri Lanka 41
103 Sudan 41
104 Bangladesh 40
104 Kosovo 40
104 Libya 40
105 North Korea 39
106 Nepal 37
106 Palestinian Territory 37
107 Somalia 34
108 Yemen 33
109 Pakistan 31
110 Syria 29
111 Iraq 28
112 Afghanistan 26
