Posted on 12/24/2025 9:33:10 PM PST by SeekAndFind
ANYONE WHO has stood in a long queue at border control, or bypassed one, knows that not all passports are created equal. Citizens of some countries can speed through the gates; citizens of others must submit to interrogation and delay. Henley & Partners, a consultancy that helps rich people acquire citizenship in attractive countries, ranks passports by the number of countries their holders can enter without a visa. Its latest assessment of passport power shows that America is sliding down the table.
Our map below shows how countries compare this year.
Asian countries dominate the top of the table. Singapore leads for a fourth consecutive year, with visa-free access to 193 of 227 destinations. South Korea (190) and Japan (189) follow. Seven members of the European Union share the fifth tier, each with access to 187 countries. At the bottom, people from Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq can travel visa-free to only 24, 26 and 29 places, respectively.
America, which topped the index in 2014, has dropped out of the top ten for the first time since the ranking began in 2006. It now shares the 12th tier of passports with Malaysia; citizens of both countries can travel visa-free to 180 destinations. Britain, which held the top spot in 2015, has fallen to eighth. These declines are largely due to reciprocity: when rich countries tighten their travel rules they constrain the mobility of their own citizens because others respond in kind.
America, with Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan, are the rich countries that offer visa-free access to the fewest passports. Perhaps for that reason, the passport power of all five has stagnated or fallen over the past decade (though leaving them in relatively strong positions). China’s, by contrast, has risen sharply, climbing from the 94th tier of passports in 2015 to 64th this year. China now allows visa-free access to people from 30 more countries than does America, although some of these are countries that Western governments shun, such as Russia.
Despite the diminishing power of their passports, Americans can still travel pretty freely. Even so, they are increasingly eager to acquire other passports, sometimes through “golden-visa” or “golden passport” schemes that grant residency or citizenship in exchange for a hefty investment. Henley says Americans now make up the bulk of their clients, more than the next four nationalities—Turkish, Indian, Chinese and British—combined. By the end of September applications from Americans were already 67% higher than the total for 2024, which was itself 60% higher than the year before. European and Caribbean passports are at the top of Americans’ citizenship-shopping list, and there is growing interest in New Zealand. An extra passport has become a luxury good for the footloose and wealthy. ■
136 “Taipei” is not a country.
It’s Taiwan or Republic of China.
Whoever wrote this is too scared to call Taiwan a country.
I am sure most Americans are not concerned about traveling to any countries that they cannot travel to visa free.
Even the article's headline doesn't specific state country or nation, but rather the world's:
The world’s most—and least—powerful passports
I can see why you would mention that point though, because it is natural to assume that passports would be controled at the national levl, but that may not always be the case. Either that, or they are doing for Taipae as they do for Califirnia with regards to economies. Looking at Taipae in that respect, they provided its ranking as if it were a stand alone as well, perhaps. But it does provide for confusion, especially when they do bnnot really state what the ranking is fully based upon. At least I couldn't really see a clear explanation as to how the ranking system is judged. But then again, I wasn't really looking too hard, because tfor me, it has no meaning.. I visit nowhere anymore, LOL.
Ireland always had the most accepted Passport in the World
So, at least 13 countries require a visa for a US citizen to enter?
I’m thinking that for longer stays it may be more than that.
It looks like the Muslim countries don’t even trust each other.
So did those 13 countries start requiring visas from US citizens since 2015, or did they drop the requirement for Singapore?
I thought Post 1 was clear.
Taipei (Taiwan, Republic of China) is separate from China (PRC). Also it looks like Hong Kong and Macao issue passports separate from China. For that matter, it looks like Palestine and Israel issue separate passports.
I don’t see Somalia on the list.
No idea what you’re babbling about.
It’s the use of Taipei to refer to Taiwan.
Fear of angering Chinese Communist Party runs deep.
Way down the list, 6th from the bottom.
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