World’s Most Powerful Passports 2024: Singapore Leads; India at 82nd

Singapore has reclaimed its title as the world’s most powerful passport, offering visa-free access to a record 195 global destinations according to the Henley Passport Index. India ranks 82nd, allowing visa-free entry to 58 countries.

Top Passport Rankings

• Singapore: Visa-free access to 195 destinations, ranking first.
• Joint Second: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, each with visa-free access to 192 destinations.
• Joint Third: Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden, each with 191 destinations.
• Fourth Place: UK, Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland with 190 destinations.
• Eighth Place: US with 186 destinations, continuing its decade-long slide.

India’s Position

• 82nd Spot: India, tied with Senegal and Tajikistan, allows visa-free entry to 58 countries.

Major Changes

• Former Leaders

UK and US, which jointly held 1st place in 2014, have declined in rankings.

• Weakest Passport

Afghanistan remains the lowest, with access to only 26 countries.

• Biggest Climbers

  • UAE rose from 62nd to 9th place, now allowing visa-free access to 185 destinations.
  • China climbed from 83rd to 59th, with 85 destinations.
  • Ukraine moved from 53rd to 30th, with 148 destinations.

• Biggest Fallers

  • Venezuela dropped from 25th to 42nd.
  • Yemen, Nigeria, and Syria also saw significant declines.
  • Bangladesh fell from 86th to 97th.

Openness Index

• Most Open Countries: Small island nations or African states dominate, with 13 countries fully open to all 198 passports.
• Least Open: Afghanistan, North Korea, and Turkmenistan score zero.
• Discrepancy in Access and Openness: Somalia, Sri Lanka, Djibouti, Burundi, and Nepal show the largest negative differences, while Singapore, Bahamas, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Barbados have the least discrepancy.