The US is not among the many ten strongest passport holders on the planet – a primary within the nation’s twenty-year historical past. Henley Passport Index.
The index, compiled by Henley & Companionsa London-based citizenship and residence consultancy, evaluates 199 nationwide passports primarily based on the variety of locations their holders can entry with out having obtained a visa prematurely.
The newest quarterly rankings embrace the The US Passport dropped two extra locations to twelfthrelated with Malaysia. Simply ten years in the past, in 2014, the US held the #1 placegiving its residents the widest freedom of journey on the planet.
In line with Worldwide Air Transport Affiliation (IATA) info, US passport holders can presently enter 180 of 227 locations visa-free – about 79% of the world. Whereas this will sound spectacular, it lags behind leaders like Singapore, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Spainwhich residents can go to 194 locations and not using a prior visa.
Why the US is falling behind
Reciprocity points: In April 2025, Brazil has reintroduced visa necessities for Individuals, citing the unequal therapy as a result of Brazilians nonetheless require a visa to go to the US
Restricted visa waiver agreements: The US is presently providing visa-free entry to solely 46 international locationsa small fraction in comparison with the The Schengen space of the EUwhich ensures broad reciprocity.
Asia’s rising openness: International locations like China, Thailand and Vietnam lately expanded visa-free entry for choose international locations – however not for Individuals.
Geopolitical shifts: Tighter immigration and safety insurance policies within the US have lowered the mutual journey flexibility of different international locations.
TOP 10 passport checklist
The The ten strongest passports in 2025in keeping with Henley & Companions, are:
- Singapore – 194 locations
- France – 194
- Germany – 194
- Italy – 194
- Japan – 194
- Spain – 194
- South Korea – 193
- Finland – 193
- Sweden – 193
- Austria – 193
The Nice Britainas soon as a dominant journey doc, now sits simply above the US eleventh place.
The decline of the US passport displays a a higher world rebalancing of the mobility pressure. Asian and European international locations have steadily expanded diplomatic agreements, selling cross-border journey and enterprise. In the meantime, U.S. international coverage and visa restrictions have remained comparatively static, limiting mutual advantages.
In a world the place The power of a passport usually displays diplomatic relations and delicate energyThe American drop within the rankings is symbolic. As chairman of Henley & Companions Dr. Christian Kaelin famous: “A passport is not only a journey doc – it’s a window into a rustic’s world place.”