Top 10 Most Powerful Passports in the World for 2026 Released
- Singapore's passport ranked the world's most powerful in July 2026, granting citizens visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 192 destinations
- The UAE recorded the most dramatic climb of any country over two decades, gaining access to 153 additional destinations since 2006
- The US passport, once ranked first globally in 2006, has dropped to 10th place, with 36 countries now sitting ahead of it in the standings
Singapore has been ranked as the country with the world's most powerful passport in 2026.
This was according to the Henley Passport Index 20th-anniversary report published by London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners.
Source: Getty Images
The report, which tracks visa-free and visa-on-arrival access attached to passports worldwide, shows sweeping changes in global mobility since 2006, with some countries surging dramatically up the rankings while others have slipped considerably.
UAE's historic climb up the index
The United Arab Emirates stands out as the defining story of the past two decades. From a far more limited position in 2006, the UAE now shares second place on the index with Japan and South Korea, with passport holders from all three countries able to access 188 destinations.
That gain of 153 destinations over 20 years is the largest recorded by any country across the entire period covered by the index.
Sweden ranks third with 187 destinations, while 11 European nations, including France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands, share fourth place with 186 destinations each.
At the bottom of the index, Afghanistan remains the weakest passport in the world, offering access to only 22 destinations and creating a gap of 118 destinations between it and Singapore at the top. Bolivia is the only country to have recorded a net loss in visa-free access over the 20-year period, shedding six destinations.
US passport falls to 10th place
The United States, which shared the top position with Denmark and Finland in 2006, has dropped to joint 10th place alongside Iceland.
American passport holders can currently access 180 destinations, up from 130 in 2006 in absolute terms, but the country's ranking has fallen sharply as other nations expanded their diplomatic reach more aggressively.
Because the Henley Index groups countries with identical scores into a single rank, 36 countries now effectively sit above the United States in the current standings.
Christian H. Kaelin, chair of Henley & Partners and creator of the index, offered an explanation for the patterns the data reveals over two decades.
"Twenty years of data show that passport power is one of the clearest expressions of a country's geopolitical capital," Kaelin said.
"The world's strongest passports belong to nations that other countries want as partners, for trade, investment, security, or cooperation. Mobility is ultimately a measure of the value other countries place on their relationship with you."
The report also draws a comparison with the Global Peace Index compiled by the Institute for Economics and Peace, which is marking its own 20th edition.
Several of the highest-ranked passport nations, including Singapore, Japan, Switzerland, Ireland and New Zealand, also feature prominently among the world's most peaceful countries.
The United States and Israel are highlighted as exceptions, holding strong passport rankings despite placing 134th and 149th respectively on the Global Peace Index, with the report attributing their standing to accumulated diplomatic capital rather than peacefulness alone.
The world’s most powerful passports for 2026
- Singapore (192 destinations)
- Japan, South Korea, United Arab Emirates (188 destinations)
- Sweden (187 destinations)
- Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain (186 destinations)
- Austria, Greece, Malta, Portugal, Switzerland (185 destinations)
- Hungary, Poland, United Kingdom (184 destinations)
- Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Latvia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Slovakia, Slovenia (183 destinations)
- Croatia, Estonia (182 destinations)
- Liechtenstein, Lithuania (181 destinations)
- Iceland, United States (180 destinations)
Panama lists African countries eligible for visa-free entry
Earlier, YEN.com.gh stated that Panama's government had officially confirmed a list of African countries whose citizens are permitted to enter the Central American nation without a visa.
The nine African nations on the list are Botswana, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Namibia and others.
Source: YEN.com.gh
