Asian nations dominate passport power ranking as US and UK decline

October 28, 2025

The latest Henley Passport Index reveals a reshaped hierarchy in global mobility, with Asia’s rise and the decline of legacy powers such as the UK and US defining the new travel landscape. Olivia Palamountain reports

The balance of global mobility is shifting, according to the 2025 Henley Passport Index, which charts the world’s most powerful passports based on visa-free access. This year’s ranking shows Asian nations strengthening their dominance, Europe maintaining its influence, and long-standing leaders such as the UK and US continuing to slide.

Compiled using exclusive Timatic data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the index measures how many countries travellers can enter without a prior visa. Competition at the top remains tight, with several Asian and European nations trading places in a closely fought global race.

Singapore ultimately retains its crown as the world’s most powerful passport, granting visa-free access to 193 countries. Japan and South Korea share second place with 190, confirming the region’s continued supremacy in freedom of movement.

Europe continues to perform strongly, occupying most of the remaining top positions. Seven EU nations - Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Spain - share third place, each with access to 189 countries, while a further seven European countries, including Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands and Portugal, rank joint fourth with 188. New Zealand ties for fifth alongside Greece and Switzerland, maintaining its position as the only non-European nation in the top five.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Afghanistan remains the least powerful passport, offering visa-free access to just 25 countries - a 168-country gap that starkly illustrates the inequalities of global mobility.

The UK and US, once at the pinnacle of the rankings, have each fallen one place since January. The UK now sits in sixth position, with access to 186 countries, while the US ranks tenth with 182, teetering on the edge of dropping out of the top 10 for the first time in the index’s 20-year history.

Meanwhile, emerging nations are climbing fast. The UAE has soared 34 places in a decade to eighth, while India has jumped eight places since January to 77th. China, which has added a raft of new visa-free agreements in 2025, now ranks 60th - up 34 places in ten years - reflecting its growing diplomatic engagement and regional openness.

Dr Christian H. Kaelin, inventor of the Henley Passport Index, says: “The consolidation we’re seeing at the top underscores that access is earned - and must be maintained - through active and strategic diplomacy. Nations that proactively negotiate visa waivers and nurture reciprocal agreements continue to rise.”

Asia-Pacific’s growing influence also mirrors aviation trends. According to IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, air travel demand rose 5.8% in the first five months of 2025, led by Asia-Pacific airlines with 9.5% growth. North America, by contrast, saw flat results due to a contraction in the domestic market.

Across the decade, only 16 countries have fallen in rank, with Venezuela, the US and UK among the steepest decliners. The trend points to a multipolar future in which emerging economies increasingly shape the rules of global movement. As Dr Juerg Steffen, CEO of Henley & Partners, observes: “Your passport is no longer just a travel document - it’s a reflection of your country’s diplomatic influence and international relationships.”

Top 10 most powerful passports (2025)