Japan And Singapore Are The World’s Most Powerful Passports
Rise in rankings
The ranking of the two Asian countries went up when Uzbekistan lifted its visa requirements for Japanese and Singaporean residents in February. Furthermore, the Japanese and Singaporean passports also provide visa-free access to the four major global economies of the world, namely India, China, the EU, and the US.
Another notable development is that of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which championed travel freedom in the Middle East, rising by 34 positions on the Henley Passport Index over the last 10 years, and 11 places in the past year alone. UAE citizens can now gain access to 140 destinations worldwide.
China and Indonesia have also made great strides in improving the global mobility of their citizens, each gaining access to 13 additional destinations and climbing 11 and 10 positions on the index, respectively.
Meanwhile, the Philippines maintained its 75th rank out of 105 countries, which means its passport holders may enter 63 countries without a visa.
Countries at the bottom of the Henley Passport Index
The countries that sit at the bottom of the Henley Passport Index are Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, each still only able to access 30 or fewer destinations visa-free.
According to Hugh Morshead, a member of the Executive Committee of the leading investment migration firm Henley & Partners, global citizenship is on the rise, with more and more individuals seeking opportunities and experiences beyond their countries of origin.
“Borders in certain key parts of the world may be tightening, but elsewhere access is evolving. In terms of visa policies and regulations, every week we are witnessing a growing number of countries — especially outside of the West — opening up their borders to strategic partners as they seek to deepen diplomatic relationships and tap into the immense economic value that tourism, international commerce, and migration can bring,” Morshead added.
Henley Passport Indes
Widely acknowledged as the original and most authoritative passport index, the Henley Passport Index holds historical data across 13 years. The Henley Passport Index ranks countries using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which keeps the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information and is supplemented by their own extensive research.
The Henley Passport Index is updated in real-time, as and when visa-policy changes take effect. It includes both countries and territories in its dataset for a more robust and holistic view of global passport power.
Bongga talaga ng Japan at Singapore. 2 sila sa mga progressive countries. No wonder ang lalakas ng mga passport nila. 2 of my dream destinations.
Wow!! Thankyou for sharing this daddy ivan. Ngayon ko lang po nalaman.. Hetong dalawang bansa po pala ang pinaka makapangyrarihan na passport sa boong mundo..Dream ko pa naman po nung nag aaral pako na makapunta talaga sa japan at Singapore 😍
What a great privilege for Japan and Singapore. People from this country are able to visit different countries without visa. Wondering when will the Philippines have this kind of recognition? Hoping in the near future we can roam around the world without restrictions
I really love Japan and Singapore because the people there are well disciplined. Its amating thaht both these countries have the most powerful passports. This is really informative.