2025 Passport Rankings: Discover the World's Most Powerful Passports

See the most powerful passport in 2025

Every year, the Henley Passport Index shows how strong your passport is based on your country's ranking. Experts use data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and their own research to create the ranking.

It’s all about how many places a passport holder can visit without needing a visa. This year, over 50 countries icluding the United Kingdom need an ETIAS visa waiver to travel in Europe, which has affected their ranking.

Passports gain points if they allow easy entry without a visa. They also earn points if travelers can get a visa, visitor's permit, or an electronic travel authority (ETA). If a visa is required before travel, it scores 0, and the final score is based on how many places can be visited visa-free.

For the year 2025, the ranking was published on January 8 and it shows which passports are the most powerful this year. Here's a quick look at the top rankings and some key insights.

2025 Passport Rankings: Discover the World's Most Powerful Passports

Top Ranking Passports

Singapore takes the top spot as the most powerful passport of 2025. Its holders can enter 195 out of 227 destinations without needing a visa.

Japan claims second place, with visa-free access to 193 destinations.

Several countries are tied for third: Finland, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea, and Spain3. Their passport holders can visit 192 destinations visa-free.

Sharing fourth place are Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden with visa-free access to 191 destinations.

Fifth place goes to Belgium, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, each with 190 visa-free destinations.

At The Bottom of The List

Unfortunately, the bottom rankings remain challenging for some countries:

Afghanistan is last, with its citizens able to visit only 26 countries visa-free.

Syria, ranking 105th, has just 27 destinations available without a visa.

Following closely are Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan, and Somalia, with points around the low 30s.

Key Insights

The rankings show the significant power of passports from countries like Singapore and Japan, allowing hassle-free travel for their citizens. In contrast, countries with lower rankings face more restrictions and challenges. These insights can help travelers understand their international mobility better.

So, there you have it – the passport rankings for 2025! How does your passport stack up?

Whether you're jetting off for a vacation, going for studies, business or exploring new work opportunities abroad, this ranking helps you know which country you can enter without visa, with visa waiver or if you need to apply for a visa. This supports you to plan and budget well and to know the exact amount of money you will need for each trip.

Hope this helps you know where your passport stands.

Safe travels!