Henley Passport Index 2026 ranks global passports Singapore tops, US returns to top 10 and Afghanistan remains the weakest.
Henley Passport Index 2026 (Photo: Pinterest)
The Henley Passport Index 2026 has again thrown light on the unequal world of international mobility that exists globally. Some passport-holders have free access across international borders and others have serious visa restrictions imposed upon them. The new rankings have been drastically different and indicate geopolitical strength, economic power and international engagement.
The Henley Visa Index, located in London, is a ranking of passports in the number of worldwide destinations accessible to them visa free or with a visa on arrival policy with the use of exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association. It has been considered the standard for worldwide mobility.
The 2026 Index covers 277 different nations and territories including states, regions and special administrative zones the data enables a precise measurement of global passport power and accessibility.
The Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland share a strong index offering their citizens visa free access to 186 countries worldwide. The region leads the global mobility index is Europe a strong diplomatic outreach along with sound governance structures.
The fifth rank is shared by five different nations, namely Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the UAE, all of which provide visa-free travel to 149 nations. The UAE, in fact, has experienced a phenomenal increase over the last two decades.
Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Malta, New Zealand, and Poland rank sixth, allowing visa-free travel to 183 countries. They have regular diplomatic relations with countries, with which they have favorable trade relations.
Briefly dropping out of the top 10 in 2025, the USA resumes its position in 10th place with 179 points. The USA has also lost access to seven destinations over the past year, indicating a weakening of its mobility power despite its strong international position.
India ranks 80th, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 55 destinations. It shares this position with Nigeria and Algeria, while Bangladesh and Pakistan lag behind, illustrating a wide mobility gap in South Asia.
At the very bottom of the list, Afghanistan holds the weakest passport, which can travel to just 24 countries. Syria and Iraq are not far behind. There is now a difference of 168 countries between passports ranked as top and weak.
