Singapore and Japan Tops List of World’s Most Powerful Passports

• These passports can visit 189 countries, visa-free.
• The U.S. is in sixth place, along with the UK.
• The world’s least powerful passport is Afghanistan.

There may have been a time when no one would ever imagine that the most powerful passport would come from Asia. It may come as a surprise, especially considering the fact that it may surpass the U.S. or the European countries.

But right now, two of the top spots on the list of the world’s most powerful passports are indeed from Asia.

Singapore and Japan currently shares top ranking.

Apparently, passport-bearers from these nations can visit 189 countries without a visa.

This ranking was released by the Henley Passport Index, which got their data from the International Air Transport Association.

On second place is another Asian nation – South Korea’s passport can visit 187 countries visa-free. Germany shares the second place (no change from last year) while Finland’s passport comes up at the third spot, along with Italy, Denmark, and Luxembourg.

In fourth place are Spain, Sweden, and France while Switzerland, Portugal, Austria, and the Netherlands are in fifth place.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is in the sixth place, along with the UK, Norway, Belgium, Canada, Greece, and Ireland.

Here’s the complete list of the top 10 most powerful passports in the world:

1. Japan, Singapore
2. Germany, South Korea
3. Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg
4. France, Sweden, Spain
5. Austria, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland
6. Norway, UK, USA, Belgium, Canada, Greece, Ireland
7. Malta
8. Czech Republic
9. Australia, Iceland, New Zealand, Lithuania
10. Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia

For the first time, the United Arab Emirates entered the top 20.

For the past five years, its passport has doubled the number of its visa-free destinations, which now stands at 167.

In comparison, Afghanistan is currently the world’s least powerful passport, which gives access to only 25 countries. A little further up is Iraq, which can access 29 countries, and Pakistan, which has 33 visa-free destinations.