An unprecedented six countries share the top spot this year, providing visa-free access to a record 194 countries, Henley & Partners’ 2024 Passport Index reveals.
Four European countries join previous champions Singapore and Japan in the 2024 Passport Index, which is based on data from the International Air Transport Association, providing their citizens with access to a whopping 194 destinations – out of 227 – around the globe.
“The average number of destinations travelers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024,” chairman of Henley & Partners, Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, says.
“However, as we enter the new year, the top-ranked countries are now able to travel to a staggering 166 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan, which sits at the bottom of the ranking with access to just 28 countries without a visa.”
The world’s most powerful passports in 2024
| Rank | Country | Visa-free Access |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 194 |
| 1 | Germany | 194 |
| 1 | Italy | 194 |
| 1 | Japan | 194 |
| 1 | Singapore | 194 |
| 1 | Spain | 194 |
| 2 | Finland | 193 |
| 2 | South Korea | 193 |
| 2 | Sweden | 193 |
| 3 | Austria | 192 |
| 3 | Denmark | 192 |
| 3 | Ireland | 192 |
| 3 | Netherlands | 192 |
| 4 | Belgium | 191 |
| 4 | Luxembourg | 191 |
| 4 | Norway | 191 |
| 4 | Portugal | 191 |
| 4 | United Kingdom | 191 |
| 5 | Greece | 190 |
| 5 | Malta | 190 |
| 5 | Switzerland | 190 |
| 6 | Australia | 189 |
| 6 | Czechia | 189 |
| 6 | New Zealand | 189 |
| 6 | Poland | 189 |
| 7 | Canada | 188 |
| 7 | Hungary | 188 |
| 7 | United States | 188 |
| 8 | Estonia | 187 |
| 8 | Lithuania | 187 |
| 9 | Latvia | 186 |
| 9 | Slovakia | 186 |
| 9 | Slovenia | 186 |
| 10 | Iceland | 185 |
The UAE remains the biggest climber in the Passport Index, which has added 106 destinations to its visa-free score since 2014, jumping 44 places in the grid to 11th positions. Ukraine and China are also among the top five countries with the most improved rankings. Russia has gained 24 destinations over the past decades.
The word’s worst passports in 2024
| Rank | Country | Visa-free Access |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | Yemen | 35 |
| 101 | Pakistan | 34 |
| 102 | Iraq | 31 |
| 103 | Syria | 29 |
| 104 | Afghanistan | 28 |
But with upcoming elections across the globe, and immigration a hot topic, passport strength could change.
“In 2024, 40 countries making up over 50% of global GDP will undergo decisive elections, including the US and several other major powers,” Rector of the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, Misha Glenny, says. “Political trends point to a lack of geopolitical coordination heightening the risk of prospective shocks to an already precarious economic environment. The general trend, however, remains steady. A decline in American and European influence and a jostling for power among the Asian big boys.”
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