The Most Powerful Passports in the World for 2026: See the Rankings

Singapore was ranked as having the most powerful passport in the world for 2026, earning the top spot for the third year in a row. The Southeast Asian country's passport provides visa-free access to 192 destinations, according to the latest iteration of the Henley Passport Index. Singapore's influence has steadily risen since it was only ranked 11th globally in 2010. The countries of Japan and South Korea tied for second place on the list with passport holders from each enjoying visa-free access to 188 different countries. Third place was awarded as a five-way tie between Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland thanks to visa-free access to 186 destinations. “Over the past 20 years, global mobility has expanded significantly, but the benefits have been distributed unevenly," Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, the chairman of Henley & Partners, said in a statement. “Today, passport privilege plays a decisive role in shaping opportunity, security, and economic participation, with rising average access masking a reality in which mobility advantages are increasingly concentrated among the world’s most economically powerful and politically stable nations.” The United States dropped to 10th place this year with visa-free access to just 179 countries. In the past, the U.S. has ranked as high as first place in both 2006 and 2014, but has steadily dropped over the last few years. The U.S. came in ninth place last year. The rankings come as President Donald Trump's administration has increasingly tightened travel, banning travelers from dozens of countries, including partial restrictions for citizens of popular Caribbean destinations Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica. Following that, several countries implemented reciprocal bans on U.S. travelers. It also comes on the heels of the State Department's decision to suspend immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, according to the Associated Press. However, that does not include travelers seeking non-immigrant visas, including temporary tourist visas. Overall, Henley & Partners noted the U.S. only allows visa-free access to travelers from 46 nationalities. On the other end of the spectrum was Afghanistan, which once again came in last on the list. Afghan passport holders only have visa-free access to 24 destinations. In terms of gaining the most access, the United Arab Emirates stood out, adding 149 visa-free destinations since 2006, according to Henley & Partners. This year, the UAE tied for fifth place along with Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Passport holders from each of those nations enjoy visa-free access to 184 destinations.