Singapore now holds the top spot on the Henley Passport Index as the most powerful passport in the world in 2023, with visa-free travel to 192 countries.
The previous top-ranked nation, Japan, slipped to third place on the new list, which was unveiled on July 18.
Germany, Italy, and Spain, three European nations, tie for second place on the list with visa-free access to 190 destinations. Meanwhile, Japan dropped out of first place for the first time in five years. Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, South Korea, and Sweden also share the top spot with Japan.
As far as India is concerned, it has occupied the 80th rank on the list. The Indian passport has the distinction of being eligible for visa-free travel to 57 countries, including Senegal and Togo.
Pakistan is in the 100th spot. With 101, 102, and 103 ranks, respectively, the passports of Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan are the world’s weakest.
According to the Henley Passport Index, 227 different travel locations accept 199 different passports without the need for a visa. If no visa is required, then one score is created for that passport. The same applies if you are able to secure a visa, visitor’s permission, or electronic travel authority (ETA) when entering the destination.
The UK jumped two spots to take fourth place after a six-year slump. The most recent time was in 2017. Henley & Partners stated in the news release that “The US, on the other hand, continues its now decade-long slide down the index, plummeting a further two places to the eighth spot with access to just 184 destinations visa-free.”
A decade ago, both the UK and the US jointly held first place on the index, since then, they have been on a downward path.