The most powerful passports in the world for 2024, six countries tie for top spot on the list of most powerful passports for 2024, according to the Henley Passport Index. Citizens of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore and Spain have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 194 destinations worldwide – the highest number recorded since the index began to track global travel freedoms 19 years ago.
The index is created by London-based global citizenship and residency consultancy Henley & Partners, using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
In the last five years, the first place was dominated by Japan and Singapore, but now the new top five changes the facts. Finland and Sweden are tied with South Korea for second place – with 193 destinations within easy reach – while Austria, Denmark, Ireland and the Netherlands are in third place with 192 destinations.
Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal and the United Kingdom are in 4th place, while Greece, Malta and Switzerland are in 5th place. Australia and New Zealand improved their rankings and are now sixth on the list along with the Czech Republic and Poland. The United States and Canada are tied for seventh place with Hungary, with visa-free access to 188 destinations.
The countries at the top of the rankings can now travel to 166 more destinations visa-free, compared to bottom-placed Afghanistan with access to just 28 visa-free countries. Syria – with visa-free access to just 29 destinations – is second to last on the list. Iraq has access to 31 countries and Pakistan to 34.
These are the world’s most powerful passports for 2024
1. France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain (194 destinations)
2. Finland, South Korea, Sweden (193 destinations)
3. Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands (192 destinations)
4. Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom (191 destinations)
5. Greece, Malta, Switzerland (190 destinations)
6. Czech Republic, New Zealand, Poland (189 destinations)
7. Canada, Hungary, United States (188 destinations)
8. Estonia, Lithuania (187 destinations)
9. Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia (186 destinations)
10. Iceland (185 destinations)