According to the Henley Passport Index, this coveted travel document allows its holders to visit 195 out of 227 destinations worldwide without a visa—more than any other country.
Japan comes in second place, offering visa-free access to 193 destinations. It regained visa-free entry to China for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, boosting its ranking.
Several European Union members, including France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, share the third position with Finland and South Korea. Citizens of these countries can travel to 192 destinations visa-free.
The fourth spot highlights the strength of the European Union's Schengen Area, which allows unrestricted movement for over 425 million EU citizens. Seven EU countries—Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden—offer visa-free access to 191 destinations.
Five countries—Belgium, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom—round out the top five, with visa-free access to 190 destinations.
The growing mobility gap
Now in its 20th year, the Henley Passport Index, developed by Henley & Partners, a London-based firm, analyzes global travel freedoms in 227 countries and territories using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the ranking, with visa-free access to only 26 destinations, two fewer than the previous year. Syria and Iraq are slightly ahead, with access to 27 and 31 destinations, respectively.
This highlights the widening gap in travel freedom between citizens of different countries.
"The concept of citizenship and its inherent inequalities needs a serious reevaluation in the face of climate change, natural disasters, and political unrest," said Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners.
Notable changes in rankings
European countries dominate the rest of the top 10, with Australia and Greece tied for sixth place. Malta, Poland, and Canada follow closely behind.
Czechia and Hungary share the eighth position, while the United States and Estonia occupy the ninth. Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, and the United Arab Emirates complete the top 10.
The UAE has made significant strides in global mobility, gaining access to 72 more destinations since 2015 and climbing 32 places to reach the 10th spot.
China has also shown impressive improvement, rising from 94th place in 2015 to 60th in 2025.
Surprisingly, only 22 passports have dropped in the ranking over the past decade. Venezuela experienced the most significant decline, followed by the United States, which fell seven places.
Vanuatu and the United Kingdom also saw their rankings decline, along with Canada.
Alternative passport rankings
The Henley Passport Index is one of several rankings that assess global passports based on their travel freedom.
Arton Capital's Passport Index considers 193 UN member countries and six territories, excluding those annexed to other countries. It updates in real-time throughout the year, relying on data gathered from government portals.
In Arton's 2025 ranking, the United Arab Emirates takes the top spot, followed by Spain.
