This country's passport has been named the world's most powerful

It seems as though Asian countries are cornering the market on accessible travel, placing the highest on the latest Henley Passport Index.

The purpose of the ranking is to compare all of the world’s passports and see which holders have the ability to access more destinations without the need to obtain a visa.

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The data supporting the list is substantiated on exclusive information from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) — the world’s most accurate database for travel information.

For the third year in a row, Japan has nabbed the top spot on the index with a visa-free-visa-on-arrive score of 191.

Singapore secures its spot as second with a score of 190, while South Korea fell to third place tied with Germany, with passport holders from those countries having access to 189 destinations that are either visa-free or visa-on-arrival.

 

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Italy and Finland tied for fourth place with a score of 188, while Denmark, Spain, and Luxumbourg all shared fifth place, with a score of 187.

Canada tied with Australia, Malta, New Zealand, and the Czech Republic for ninth place.

Dr. Christmas H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners, believes that this year’s rankings demonstrate fascinating insight into the manner in which certain decisions and policies can have such a significant global impact.

 

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“Asian countries’ dominance of the top spots is a clear argument for the benefits of open-door policies and the introduction of mutually beneficial trade agreements,” Dr. Kaelin explains.

“Over the past few years, we have seen the world adapt to mobility as a permanent condition of global life. The latest rankings show that the countries that embrace this reality are thriving, with their citizens enjoying ever-increasing passport power and the array of benefits that come with it.”

The total score for each passport equals the number of destinations it can visit without a required visa.

 

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For each destination, if no visa is required for individuals holding passports from a specific country or territory, that passport is assigned a score with a value of 1.

A score of 1 also applies if the specific passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival, an electronic travel authority (ETA), or a visitor’s permit when entering the destination.

These types of visas do not require government approval before departure as a result of the specified visa-waiver programs in place.

 

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For the complete comprehensive Henley Passport Index and Global Mobility Report, you can find it on the official Henley & Partners website.