Henley & Partners has released the latest list of the world’s Powerful Passports for July to December 2026, and Singapore has again taken the top position.
The new ranking shows a strong rise for several Asian countries. Singapore now holds the most powerful passport in the world, as its citizens can travel to 192 destinations without a prior visa.
This ranking also shows how global travel access continues to shift. Asian passports now dominate the top positions, while many countries in South Asia and the Middle East remain near the bottom.
The United Arab Emirates, Japan, and South Korea share the second position in the latest list. Citizens of these countries can enter 188 destinations without applying for a visa before travel.
Sweden ranks third with access to 187 visa-free destinations. Several European countries also maintained strong positions in the global ranking.
Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain secured the fourth position. Their passport holders can travel to 186 destinations with visa-free access.
Greece, Portugal, Austria, Switzerland, and Malta ranked fifth. Citizens of these countries can enter 185 destinations without a prior visa.
The latest Powerful Passports list also highlights a continued decline in the United States’ ranking. The US passport now ranks 10th, although it once ranked among the strongest passports in the world.
Pakistan remained among the weakest passports in the latest global ranking. The Pakistani passport ranked 100th overall and gave citizens visa-free access to only 30 destinations.
This position places Pakistan as having the world’s fourth-weakest passport. The ranking reflects limited freedom of travel for Pakistani citizens compared with many other countries.
Several countries ranked just above Pakistan in the list. Yemen stood at 99th, while Somalia reached 98th position. Nepal ranked 97th, and North Korea and Bangladesh shared the 96th position.
Palestine and Iran ranked 95th, while Eritrea stood at 94th. Sri Lanka and Libya secured the 93rd position in the latest ranking.
Only three countries ranked below Pakistan in the Powerful Passports index. Iraq stood at the 101st position, Syria ranked 102nd, and Afghanistan remained at the bottom with the 103rd position.
The ranking shows a wide gap between the strongest and weakest passports. Singapore passport holders can access 192 destinations, while Pakistani passport holders can travel to only 30 destinations without a prior visa.
This difference highlights the role of international relations, economic strength, perceptions of security, and diplomatic ties in travel freedom. Countries with stronger global trust usually gain better visa-free access for their citizens.
The latest Powerful Passports ranking also shows that passport strength can change over time. Countries that improve diplomatic relations and global mobility agreements can move higher in future lists.
For Pakistan, the ranking raises serious questions about access to travel and global mobility. Better diplomatic engagement and stronger international partnerships can help improve the passport’s position in the coming years.
Overall, the new Powerful Passports list places Singapore at the top and Afghanistan at the bottom. Pakistan, however, remains near the bottom of the rankings, with limited visa-free access for its citizens.
