Six countries are tied for the top spot. The US isn't one of them
The list of the most powerful passports in the world, compiled by consultancy firm Henley & Partners, is all about global mobility—where the holder of the passport can travel without a visa.
This year, there are more countries than ever sharing the highest rankings, with lots of ties.
Let’s dig in.
An Icelandic passport will give you visa-free access to 185 destinations.
Latvia, Slovakia, and Slovenia all share the 9th most powerful spot in the ranking, giving holders access to 186 destinations without needing visas.
Estonia and Lithuania both hold 8th place for most powerful passport, adding one more visa-free destination for passport holders, with 187 destinations total.
The United States hasn’t budged from its No. 7 spot—it held the same position last year. It shares the honor (seventh-most honor, anyway) with its neighbor to the north, as well as Hungary, and holders of American passports can get into 188 destinations, visa-free.
One spot above the US and one step below Switzerland, these four countries come in for the sixth most powerful passport in the world, giving their holders access to 189 travel destinations, visa-free.
Switzerland, Malta, and Greece all have passports that allow travelers to travel to 190 destinations without needing visas.
Britannia doesn’t quite rule the waves anymore—the UK passport is only in the fourth spot. And even that it has to share with Portugal, Norway, Luxembourg, and Belgium. All five countries’ passport holders can travel to 191 destinations without visas.
The Netherlands, Ireland, Denmark, and Austria are all in the third spot, with 193 places that passport holders can visit without needing a visa.
These three countries’ passport holders can travel to 193 destinations without a visa.
Japan and Singapore have shared this designation since 2019, but this year are joined by France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. All six countries’ passport holders can travel to a whopping 194 destinations, visa-free.
