The world’s most powerful passports have been revealed for 2026, as airlines brace for a record 5.2 billion passengers this year. The Henley Passport Index, marking two decades of ranking passports according to the number of destinations their holders can visit without a prior visa, underscores shifting patterns of global mobility and geopolitical influence.
For the third consecutive year, Singapore retains its position at the top of the index, offering visa-free access to 192 destinations. Japan and South Korea follow closely, sharing second place with 188 destinations each, further consolidating Asia’s growing influence in global travel freedom.
Europe continues to dominate the upper tiers of the ranking. Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland hold third place with access to 186 countries. A remarkable development for 2026 is the emergence of a 10-country tie for fourth place — Austria, Finland, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, and Norway — reflecting the concentration of mobility power across Western and Northern Europe.
Notable exceptions to Europe’s dominance include the United Arab Emirates, which ranks fifth, followed by New Zealand (sixth), Australia (seventh), Canada (eighth), and Malaysia (ninth). Australia, however, slipped one position from sixth place, having maintained that rank for the previous two years. Australian passport holders now enjoy visa-free access to 182 destinations.
The United States has returned to the top 10, ranking 10th after briefly falling out in late 2025 — a sign of both resilience and longer-term decline. Britain, once tied with the US for first place in 2014, continues to slide, reflecting a broader erosion in the global mobility of historically dominant Western powers. Over the past year, both countries lost ground sharply, shedding seven and eight visa-free destinations, respectively.
Over the past two decades, the US has experienced the third-largest decline in the Henley rankings, after Venezuela and Vanuatu, falling six places from fourth to 10th. The UK ranks as the fourth-biggest faller over this period, dropping from third in 2006 to seventh in 2026.
“Passport power ultimately reflects political stability, diplomatic credibility, and the ability to shape international rules,” said Misha Glenny of the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. “As transatlantic relations strain and domestic politics grow more volatile, the erosion of mobility rights for countries like the US and UK is less a technical anomaly than a signal of deeper geopolitical recalibration.”
While the top tier of passports continues to cluster tightly, countries at the bottom remain isolated, highlighting a widening global mobility gap. Afghanistan once again ranks last, with its citizens able to access only 24 countries without a prior visa. The 168-country gap between the top and bottom countries starkly illustrates the growing divide in global travel freedom.
The UAE stands out as the most impressive performer in the past 20 years, climbing 57 places to fifth as visa liberalization and proactive diplomacy expanded access to 149 additional destinations since 2006. Similarly, countries in the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe have made substantial gains over the past two decades. Albania has risen 36 places to 43rd, Ukraine 34 places to 30th, Serbia 30 places to 34th, North Macedonia 27 places to 38th, and both Bosnia and Herzegovina and Georgia 26-29 places to share 42nd place. These trends reflect the positive impact of regional integration and closer alignment with key international partners.
Bolivia is the only country to have experienced an overall decline over the past 20 years, losing five visa-free destinations and dropping 32 places to 61st in 2026. China, by contrast, continues a remarkable ascent, climbing 28 places over the past decade, from 87th to 59th, driven by visa liberalization and strategic diplomatic engagement.
Despite its decline, the US remains among the most mobile passports in absolute terms, with holders able to travel to 179 destinations without a visa. However, US immigration policy remains highly restrictive, allowing only 46 nationalities to enter without a prior visa. This creates one of the widest disparities between outbound mobility and inbound openness globally — second only to Australia and narrowly ahead of Canada, New Zealand, and Japan.
China, conversely, has expanded its inbound openness in recent years, permitting entry to 77 nationalities — 31 more than the US — reflecting a strategic pivot to visa liberalization as a tool of diplomacy and international economic engagement.
The global landscape of passport power may face further disruption in 2026. A late-2025 proposal from US Customs and Border Protection could effectively end visa-free travel to the US in all but name. Under the plan, citizens from 42 allied nations — including Australia, Britain, France, Germany, and Japan — would be required to submit extensive personal information, including five years of social media activity, 10 years of email addresses, phone numbers, and IP addresses, and detailed family data. Biometric information, including facial recognition, fingerprints, and DNA, would be retained for up to 75 years, far exceeding current requirements under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). Implementation could begin as early as February 2026.
This proposed policy follows a series of recent US measures, including visa bans on former European Commission Vice-President Thierry Breton and several European activists, alongside the most extensive simultaneous expansion of US travel restrictions in modern history. Starting January 1, full or partial entry restrictions apply to 39 countries, underscoring the tightening of US border controls despite record-high passenger traffic.
Analysts say these developments highlight a growing divergence between travel mobility and political influence. “The rise of Asian and Gulf passports in global rankings reflects broader shifts in economic and diplomatic power,” said Glenny. “Meanwhile, the relative decline of traditional Western passports signals an era where mobility rights are increasingly tied to geopolitical credibility and domestic stability.”
The 2026 Henley Passport Index also points to wider trends in global tourism and mobility. Airlines are preparing for the unprecedented scale of 5.2 billion passengers, yet access remains highly unequal. Top-tier passports grant holders virtually unrestricted global access, while holders of lower-ranked passports face severe restrictions, requiring multiple visas even for short-haul travel.
Experts argue that mobility gaps have broader implications beyond tourism. Access to visa-free travel is closely linked to economic opportunity, international education, and the ability to participate in global commerce. Countries that expand their citizens’ travel rights gain both soft power and strategic influence, while those that lag risk isolation in an increasingly interconnected world.
The index also reflects the growing role of regional cooperation. European nations continue to consolidate mobility benefits through Schengen arrangements, while countries in the Balkans and Asia leverage bilateral agreements to improve access for their citizens. Similarly, the Gulf states’ strategic diplomatic outreach has elevated their global mobility rankings dramatically.
In contrast, countries facing political instability, conflict, or strained diplomatic relations are often at the bottom of the index. Afghanistan, for example, remains last, followed by nations such as Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, highlighting the human cost of limited mobility in regions plagued by insecurity.
The 2026 rankings illustrate both the opportunities and challenges in the era of hyper-globalization. While top-ranked passport holders enjoy near-universal access, the global mobility divide remains stark, emphasizing that the freedom to travel is increasingly a reflection of broader political, economic, and diplomatic dynamics.
Looking ahead, analysts suggest that passport power will remain a barometer of national influence. Countries that expand visa-free access and engage in proactive diplomacy are likely to climb the rankings, while nations grappling with internal instability, restrictive policies, or strained international relations may see further declines.
As the world prepares for record passenger volumes, the Henley Passport Index provides a revealing snapshot of the geopolitical forces shaping global mobility. Singapore’s continued dominance, the rise of China and the UAE, and the gradual decline of traditional Western powers underscore a profound shift: the map of travel freedom is no longer defined solely by history or geography but by the evolving contours of diplomacy, stability, and international trust.
