LONDON: The Henley Passport Index 2026 has once again ranked Singapore at the top of the world’s most powerful passports, while Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the global list with visa-free access to just 23 destinations.
According to the latest rankings, Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates share second place, each offering their citizens visa-free entry to 188 countries. Sweden follows in third with access to 187 destinations, while a cluster of European nations — including Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain — occupy fourth place with 186 countries. Austria, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Switzerland are ranked fifth, granting access to 185 destinations.
Hungary, Poland and the United Kingdom are placed sixth with visa-free access to 184 countries, while Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Slovakia and Slovenia are seventh with 183 destinations. Croatia and Estonia follow in eighth place with 182 countries, Liechtenstein and Lithuania in ninth with 181, and Iceland alongside the United States in tenth with 180.
On the other end of the spectrum, Afghanistan sits at 103rd and last place, Syria at 102nd with 26 destinations, and Iraq at 101st with 29. Pakistan, despite international recognition for its diplomatic efforts in Middle Eastern peace initiatives, is ranked 100th, with its passport holders able to travel visa-free or on arrival to only 30 countries.
Yemen follows at 99th with 31 destinations, Somalia at 98th with 33, Nepal at 97th with 35, and Bangladesh and North Korea jointly at 96th with 36. Iran — long burdened by global sanctions and recently battered by conflict with the United States and Israel — is ranked 95th, alongside the Palestinian Territories, with access to 38 countries. Eritrea is placed at 94th with 39 destinations.
The latest index underscores the widening gap between nations with expansive travel freedom and those whose citizens face severe restrictions, highlighting the persistent challenges for countries like Pakistan in improving global mobility despite diplomatic visibility.
