f11photo/Shutterstock
- The Henley Passport Index is an annual ranking of the most powerful passports in the world based on how many destinations the holder can enter without a visa.
- Japan secured the top spot this year, with access to 191 countries and territories, a position it previously shared with Singapore.
- Asia dominated the list, with Singapore landing in the No. 2 spot and South Korea tying with Germany for No. 3.
- A US passport provides access to 185 destinations in 2020, giving it a seventh-place ranking. Passports from 15 other countries provide better access than the US. The country is also slipping in rank — last year it placed sixth.
- Travel restrictions and bans may vary from country to country amid the coronavirus pandemic.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
A passport from Japan opens more doors than a passport from anywhere else in the world, according to the Henley Passport Index.
The index is an annual power ranking of passports determined by the number of destinations a passport holder can enter without a visa.
A Japanese passport promises uncomplicated travel to 191 other countries and territories. In 2019, the passport promised access to 189 places and tied with Singapore’s passport as the world’s most desirable travel document.
Singapore provided access to 190 destinations and placed second this year, followed closely by South Korea and Germany, with access to 187 countries and territories.
Passports from countries including Canada, the UK, and the US all slipped in the rankings from 2019 to 2020 — but they’re still desirable, with access to more than 180 destinations. For comparison, passports from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria offer access to fewer than 30 places.
Keep reading for a look at the countries with the most powerful passports, ranked by ascending number of visa-free travel options. We also included a comparative look at how each of these passports ranked in 2019.
Travel restrictions and bans may vary from country to country amid the coronavirus pandemic.
gehringj/Getty
2019 ranking: 11 (access to 178 destinations)
9. Those holding the following passports can visit 183 places without a visa in 2020:
Shutterstock
Australia
2019 ranking: T9 (access to 180 destinations)
Canada
2019 ranking: T6 (access to 183 destinations)
8. Those holding the following passports can visit 184 places without a visa in 2020:
Shutterstock
Czech Republic
2019 ranking: 8 (access to 181 destinations)
Greece
2019 ranking: T6 (access to 183 destinations)
Malta
2019 ranking: 7 (access to 182 destinations)
New Zealand
2019 ranking: T9 (access to 180 destinations)
7. Those holding the following passports can visit 185 places without a visa in 2020:
Belgium
2019 ranking: T6 (access to 183 destinations)
Norway
2019 ranking: T6 (access to 183 destinations)
Switzerland
2019 ranking: T5 (access to 184 destinations)
United Kingdom
2019 ranking: T6 (access to 183 destinations)
United States
2019 ranking: T6 (access to 183 destinations)
6. Those holding the following passports can visit 186 places without a visa in 2020:
Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
France
2019 ranking: T4 (access to 185 destinations)
Ireland
2019 ranking: T6 (access to 183 destinations)
Netherlands
2019 ranking: T5 (access to 184 destinations)
Portugal
2019 ranking: T5 (access to 184 destinations)
Sweden
2019 ranking: T4 (access to 185 destinations)
5. Those holding the following passports can visit 187 places without a visa in 2020:
Getty Images/Alexpoison
Austria
2019 ranking: T5 (access to 184 destinations)
Denmark
2019 ranking: T3 (access to 186 destinations)
4. Those holding the following passports can visit 188 places without a visa in 2020:
Mikolajn/Shutterstock
Finland
2019 ranking: T2 (access to 187 destinations)
Italy
2019 ranking: T3 (access to 186 destinations)
Luxembourg
2019 ranking: T3 (access to 186 destinations)
Spain
2019 ranking: T4 (access to 185 destinations)
3. Those holding the following passports can visit 189 places without a visa in 2020:
Cj Nattanai/Shutterstock
Germany
2019 ranking: T2 (access to 187 destinations)
South Korea
2019 ranking: T2 (access to 187 destinations)
2. Those holding a passport from Singapore can visit 190 places without a visa in 2020.
MOLPIX/Shutterstock
2019 ranking: T1 (access to 189 destinations)
1. Those holding a passport from Japan can visit 191 places without a visa in 2020, making it the world’s most powerful passport.
f11photo/Shutterstock
2019 ranking: T1 (access to 189 destinations)
