Discover the World's Most Powerful Passports in 2026: Rankings Revealed

The top rankings are primarily led by European passports, with notable exceptions such as the UAE, which climbed 57 positions in the index over the last two decades to be placed at the fifth spot and has visa-free access to 184 destinations. Australia, Canada, and Malaysia are featured among the top 10, with the US making a comeback this year at 10th, after briefly slipping for the first time in late 2025. Story continues below this ad World’s 10 most powerful passports in the world 2026: World’s 10 least powerful passports in the world 2026: Where does the Indian passport rank? The Indian passport on the Henley Passport Index ranked relatively higher in the 2000s; however, it saw a steady decline in the subsequent years. In 2026, it was ranked 80th globally, moving up five positions from last year. Allowing visa–free access to 55 countries, this five-rank rise indicates a gradual recovery in India’s passport strength after several years of stagnation in the low-to-mid 80s.