Henley Passport Index: US drops out of top 10 for first time; check India's rank

The American passport has dropped out of the world’s 10 most powerful travel documents for the first time, according to a new ranking.

The latest Henley Passport Index, released Tuesday, shows the US tied for 12th place with Malaysia, granting visa-free access to 180 of 227 destinations worldwide. The fall represents the lowest ranking for the US since the index began two decades ago.

Once ranked No. 1 in 2014, the US has been steadily losing ground as Asian and European nations expand their citizens’ travel freedoms.

The top three spots are now held by Singapore (193 destinations), South Korea (190) and Japan (189).

In April, Brazil reinstated visa requirements for travellers from the United States, Canada and Australia. Brazil's Foreign Ministry cited the principle of reciprocity as the justification for the move, since these countries still require Brazilian nationals to obtain visas.

“The loss of visa-free access to Brazil in April due to a lack of reciprocity, and the US being left out of China’s rapidly expanding visa-free list, marked the start of its downward slide,” a statement read.

“The declining strength of the US passport over the past decade is more than just a reshuffle in rankings,” said Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners and creator of the index. “It signals a fundamental shift in global mobility and soft power dynamics. Nations that embrace openness and cooperation are surging ahead, while those resting on past privilege are being left behind.”

The United Kingdom has also fallen to its lowest ranking, slipping to 8th place from 6th in July, despite once sharing the top position in 2015.

While Americans can travel visa-free to 180 destinations, the US allows only 46 nationalities to enter without a visa, placing it 77th on the Henley Openness Index.

The gap between travel freedom and inbound openness is one of the world’s widest — similar to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Japan, all of which have seen stagnation or decline in their passport rankings over the past decade.

China has been a major climber, jumping from 94th in 2015 to 64th this year, with a sharp rise in visa-free access and openness.

India, on the other hand, dropped from 80th position in 2024 to 85th this year.

Among other South Asian nations, Sri Lanka ranked 98th, Bangladesh 100th, Nepal 101st, Pakistan 103rd, and Afghanistan remained last at 106th.

Top 10 Passports (Henley Passport Index 2025):

1. Singapore

2. South Korea

3. Japan

4. Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland

5. Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Netherlands

6. Greece, Hungary, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Sweden

7. Australia, Czechia, Malta, Poland

8. Croatia, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, UAE, UK

9. Canada

10. Latvia, Liechtenstein