Singapore claims top spot as the world’s most powerful passport
Singapore has reclaimed the top spot of the world’s most powerful passports.
In the latest data of the 2024 Henley Passport Index, citing the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the city-state set a new record score, allowing its citizens to travel to 195 out of 227 destinations globally without a visa.
Sharing the second place are France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain, with each having access to 192 destinations.
Seven countries placed third on the list, namely Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, and Sweden which can travel to 191 destinations visa-free.
This marks Singapore’s fourth time placing first, as it previously topped the list in 2019, 2021, and 2022. In the openness index, the city-state ranked 15th, permitting 164 out of 199 other nationalities to enter without a visa.
“The general trend over the past two decades has been towards greater travel freedom, with the global average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free nearly doubling from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024,” said Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, the Henley & Partners chairman in the statement.
“However, the global mobility gap between those at the top and bottom of the index is now wider than it has ever been, with top-ranked Singapore able to access a record-breaking 169 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan,” he added.
Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq ranked last on the list, garnering a total score of 26.
The Philippines, meanwhile, ranked 73rd, having access to 67 countries visa-free.
The index is based on the data from the IATA, analyzing 199 countries and 227 destinations. Countries earn one point for every destination they can visit visa-free.
This also applies if citizens can obtain a visa on arrival, a visitor's permit, or an electronic travel authority (ETA) when entering the destination.
No points will be applied for destinations where a visa is required, or the passport holder has to obtain a government-approved e-visa before departure.