For the first time in two decades, the United States passport has fallen out of the world’s top 10 most powerful passports now ranked 12th according to the Henley Passport Index 2025.
The latest ranking, which measures global travel freedom based on visa-free or visa-on-arrival access, shows Nigeria placed 96th, tied with Ethiopia, Lebanon, and Myanmar, granting access to only 44 destinations.
At the top of the chart, Singapore retained its dominance, offering visa-free access to 193 countries, followed by South Korea (190) and Japan (189).
Analysts attribute the U.S. slide to tightening visa policies in several nations, including Brazil and China, while Asian and Middle Eastern countries continue to expand travel partnerships through strategic diplomacy.
The UK also dropped to 8th place, its lowest since 2015, while China climbed to 64th, reflecting its growing global influence. The United Arab Emirates continued its impressive rise, now among the world’s top 10 most mobile passports.
At the lower end, Afghanistan remains the weakest passport, offering access to just 24 countries, followed by Syria (26) and Iraq (29) underscoring the widening gap in global mobility.
The Henley Passport Index, compiled from exclusive data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), serves as the world’s most authoritative measure of passport strength and international accessibility.
