The US is back in the world’s 10 most powerful passports ranking
Editor's Note
The U.S. has reclaimed a top-10 spot in the Henley Passport Index, a ranking of the world's most powerful passports, after dropping out of it for the first time in its 20-year history in 2025.
Henley & Partners, a London-based residence and citizenship advisory firm, issues the quarterly report, which scores passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. In the most recent ranking of 199 national passports, the U.S. passport jumped up two spots into 10th place. The U.S. last held the No. 1 spot in 2014.
According to International Air Transport Association data compiled by Henley & Partners, American passport holders can visit approximately 79% of the world without a visa, or 179 of 227 destinations globally. The U.S.' recent change in rankings is due to several factors.
Within the last two months, both Uzbekistan and Bolivia dropped visa requirements for Americans, but last April, Brazil revoked visa-free access for Americans due to a lack of reciprocity. (For context, the U.S. allows visa-free access for passport holders from 42 countries.) Meanwhile, China and Vietnam expanded visa-free access to some nations but not to the U.S. last year.
The 10 most powerful passports in the world
Singapore holds the distinction of having the world's strongest passport, providing visa-free access to 192 of 227 destinations globally.
South Korea and Japan tied for second place in 2026, providing visa-free entry to 188 countries. They are followed by a five-way tie for third place between Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, which each offer access to 186 countries without a visa.
Rounding out the top 10 most powerful passports are:
- No. 4: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway (185 visa-free countries)
- No. 5: Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United Arab Emirates (184 visa-free countries)
- No. 6: Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Malta, New Zealand and Poland (183 visa-free countries)
- No. 7: Australia, Latvia, Liechtenstein and the U.K. (182 visa-free countries)
- No. 8: Canada, Iceland and Lithuania (181 visa-free countries)
- No. 9: Malaysia (180 visa-free countries)
- No. 10: the U.S. (179 visa-free countries)
Afghanistan remains the least powerful passport, providing visa-free access to just 24 destinations.
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