The strength of passports around the world has evolved beyond mere travel convenience, now serving as indicators of a nation's level of peace and diplomatic trust. While Singapore, South Korea, and Japan occupy the top ranks, the United States, once considered the strongest passport, has fallen to 10th place for the first time in 20 years.
On July 21, CNN reported, citing the 20th anniversary report of the Henley Passport Index by Henley & Partners, that there is a strong correlation between passport power and a country's level of peace.
The Henley Passport Index evaluates the freedom of movement for passport holders based on the number of destinations they can visit without a visa or by obtaining a visa on arrival.
As of July 2026, the strongest passport in the world is Singapore's, allowing its citizens to visit 192 destinations visa-free. This marks an increase of 70 destinations since 2006.
South Korea and Japan, along with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), are tied for second place, with each passport granting access to 188 visa-free destinations. Over the past 20 years, South Korea has added 73 destinations, while Japan has increased by 60. The UAE saw the most significant rise, with an increase of 153 destinations.
In contrast, the U.S. passport is tied for 10th place with Iceland, allowing visa-free access to 180 destinations, an increase of 50 since 2006. Although the absolute number of accessible destinations has grown, the U.S. has not kept pace with the rapid increases seen in other countries, resulting in its drop in ranking.
In 2006, the U.S. was ranked alongside Denmark and Finland as one of the top passports globally. However, the current Henley Index counts multiple countries with the same score as a single rank, meaning there are now 36 countries ahead of the U.S.
The report analyzes that these changes reflect not only the economic power of nations but also their diplomatic relations, levels of peace, and the trust that the international community places in their institutions and citizens.
Christian H. Kälin, chairman of Henley & Partners, told CNN, “The data over the past 20 years shows that passport power is one of the clearest indicators of a country's geopolitical capital.” He added, “The strongest passports are held by countries that others want to partner with in trade, investment, security, and cooperation. Mobility ultimately reflects how much value other countries place on their relationship with a specific nation.”
Indeed, a comparison of the Henley Passport Index with the Global Peace Index from the Institute for Economics and Peace shows significant overlap among the top-ranking countries. Singapore, ranked first in the passport index, also ranks 8th in the Global Peace Index. Other countries like Japan, Switzerland, Ireland, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Denmark, New Zealand, Canada, the Czech Republic, and Malaysia are also included in the top tiers of both indices.
This indicates that nations with peaceful societies, stable institutions, and international cooperation earn high trust when their citizens seek entry into other countries. It is noteworthy that a passport serves not only as an individual's travel document but also as a compact representation of a nation's accumulated trust and diplomatic capital in the international community.
However, the U.S. stands out as a notable exception. While it maintains a 10th place in the Henley Passport Index, it ranks 134th in the Global Peace Index. Similarly, Israel holds the 18th position in the passport index but is ranked 149th in the peace index.
Henley & Partners attributes the passport competitiveness of the U.S. and Israel to decades of accumulated diplomatic capital, geopolitical influence, economic significance, and international trust in their institutions and travel documents. Despite existing domestic and international conflicts and military tensions, their established diplomatic and economic influence supports a degree of mobility.
However, the U.S.'s decline in ranking over the past 20 years illustrates that past diplomatic assets alone cannot permanently maintain passport superiority. CNN reports that while passport power is not solely determined by peace levels, how a country is perceived as a safe and trustworthy partner in the international community is closely linked to its citizens' freedom of movement.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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