January 18, 2026 | 11:38 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Singapore became the country with the world's most powerful passport in 2026, according to the Henley Passport Index. Several countries retained the same ranking, with visa-free access to the same number of destinations. However, the United States (US) dropped one spot from 9th place in 2025.
The Henley Passport Index is based on exclusive data from Timatic from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Created 20 years ago, the index ranks all passports worldwide based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. Singapore ranked first, with visa-free access to 192 destinations. Afghanistan ranked last, with 24 visa-free destinations.
Christian H. Kaelin, founder of the Henley Passport Index, said global mobility has grown significantly over the past 20 years, but the benefits have not been distributed evenly. "Passport privileges play a crucial role in shaping economic opportunity, security, and participation, but mobility benefits are increasingly concentrated among the world's most economically and politically powerful countries," said the Henley & Partners leader, as quoted on the Henley Global website.
Meanwhile, IATA estimates that airlines will carry more than 5.2 billion passengers globally this year. IATA Director General Willie Walsh said that economic and social benefits continue to increase as travel becomes easier. However, passports alone are no longer sufficient to cross borders.
"As many governments seek to tighten their border security, technological advances such as digital identity and digital passports should not be overlooked by policymakers," he said.
Here are the top 10 most powerful passports in the world according to the official Henley Global website:
1. Singapore: Visa-free access to 192 destinations
2. Japan and South Korea: Visa-free access to 188 destinations.
3. Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland: Visa-free access to 186 destinations.
4. Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Norway: Visa-free access to 185 countries.
5. Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the United Arab Emirates: Visa-free access to 184 countries.
6. Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Malta, New Zealand, and Poland: Visa-free access to 183 countries.
7. Australia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, and the United Kingdom: Visa-free access to 182 countries.
8. Canada, Iceland, and Lithuania: Visa-free access to 181 countries.
9. Malaysia: Visa-free access to 180 countries.
10. United States: Visa-free access to 179 countries. This country previously held the top spot in 2006 and 2014. This is the first time the US has dropped to 10th place in the index.
Besides these countries, other highlights include the UAE, which has added 149 visa-free destinations since 2006, climbing 57 spots to fifth place with 184 visa-free destinations. This growth is driven by continued diplomatic engagement and visa liberalization.
As reported by Travel and Leisure Asia, several other Asian countries, such as Hong Kong, rank 15th in the index, with visa-free access to 171 countries. Thailand ranks 60th with access to 79 visa-free destinations. Indonesia ranks 64th with 74 visa-free access, and India ranks 80th with access to 55 visa-free destinations.
Read: The Strongest Passport in the World for 2026 Revealed
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