Top 6 Countries Lead Global Passport Rankings; India Holds 80th Position
India shares its current rank with Uzbekistan while neighboring Pakistan is positioned at 101st.
The latest Henley Passport Index reveals that France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain begin 2024 with the world’s most potent passports, offering visa-free entry to 194 global destinations. The rankings are derived from data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
While Japan and Singapore have consistently held the top spot for the past five years, the current quarter’s rankings see European nations making notable advancements. Finland and Sweden, tied with South Korea, secure the second position, providing visa-free access to 193 destinations. Austria, Denmark, Ireland, and the Netherlands claim the third spot, allowing passport holders access to 192 destinations.
India’s passport holds the 80th position on the list, granting citizens visa-free travel to 62 countries, including popular tourist destinations such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. India shares this ranking with Uzbekistan, while neighboring Pakistan holds the 101st position.
Christian H Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners and creator of the passport index, highlighted the widening global mobility gap among countries. Despite an overall trend toward increased travel freedom over the past two decades, the disparity between the top and bottom of the index has reached an all-time high.
Mr. Kaelin stated, “The average number of destinations travelers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024.” He emphasized that top-ranked countries now enjoy the privilege of traveling to an impressive 166 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan, which occupies the bottom spot on the list, with access to just 28 countries without a visa. Syria, with visa-free access to only 29 destinations, holds the second-lowest position, followed by Iraq with 31 and Pakistan with 34.
