The Henley Passport Index, a trusted authority tracking the mobility score of passports globally since 2006, recently unveiled its 2023 rankings.
The annual rankings are predicated upon the number of destinations a passport holder can travel to without requiring a pre-arranged visa.
Passport Rankings 2023
The latest release paints a bleak picture for Pakistan, ranking its passport as the fourth worst globally. Pakistanis can access only 33 countries without a visa beforehand, significantly limiting their international mobility.
On the other end, Singapore’s passport has claimed the top spot. The tiny Southeast Asian city-state has earned the distinction of possessing the world’s most powerful passport. Singaporeans can enjoy visa-free entry to an impressive 192 out of 220 potential travel destinations globally.
Japan has held the top spot on the Henley Passport Index for half a decade and has now been relegated to third place. Tying for second place, Germany, Italy, and Spain have climbed the ranks, allowing their citizens visa-free travel to 190 destinations.
Sharing the third-place podium with Japan are Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, South Korea, and Sweden, all offering their citizens high mobility with strong passports.
In a positive turn of events, the United Kingdom has managed to reverse a downward trend that persisted for six years. It increased two positions in the latest rankings to secure the fourth spot, indicating improved global mobility for British passport holders.