Pakistan’s passport has sat near the bottom of global rankings for years — but the line isn’t flat. This is the year-by-year history: where it ranked, what changed, and what would actually move the needle.
Quick answer: Pakistani passport Henley history: 107th (2021) → 109th (2022) → 100th (2023–24) → 97th–98th (early 2026) → 102nd (July 2026). Fourth-weakest in the world for several consecutive years; the score hovers around 29–32 destinations.
In this guide
Year by Year
| Year | Henley rank | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 107th | — |
| 2022 | 109th | Low point |
| 2023 | 100th | Fourth-weakest |
| 2024 | 100th | Unchanged |
| Early 2026 | 97th–98th | Gambia reinstated; 31–32 destinations |
| July 2026 | 102nd | 29 destinations |
What Moves the Needle
Rankings move on other countries’ visa policies as much as Pakistan’s diplomacy: a single country adding visa-free access (like The Gambia’s 2026 reinstatement) lifts the score; another tightening rules drops it. That’s why the rank flickered between 97th and 102nd within 2026 — the underlying access barely changed. The honest read: watch the destination count, not the rank.
What Would Improve It
Real improvement needs bilateral visa-waiver agreements — the unglamorous diplomatic work of convincing countries that Pakistani travellers are low-risk. That means: lower overstay rates (travellers honouring visas), readmission cooperation, security cooperation, and reciprocity (Pakistan easing its own visa regime — its e-visa push helps). Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has publicly pledged to strengthen the passport; the metric to watch is the destination count crossing 35. The current picture: passport ranking 2026.
Other Indices Agree
Henley isn’t alone: the Passport Index (Arton Capital) — which counts individual-country access slightly differently — puts Pakistan in the same neighbourhood (its ‘mobility score’ was 42 in a 2026 edition, counting 9 visa-free + 29 VOA + 4 eTA). The methodologies differ (Henley counts 227 destinations; others count differently), so exact ranks vary — but every index agrees on the structural fact: fourth-weakest in the world. When indices disagree by a place or two, it’s methodology, not news.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Pakistan’s worst ranking?
109th in 2022 — the low point in recent Henley history. It has since hovered between 97th and 102nd.
Is the ranking improving?
Marginally and unevenly — 109th (2022) to 97th–102nd (2026). The structural position (fourth-weakest) hasn’t changed; watch the destination count, not the rank.
