The 2024 Henley Passport Index has recently been released, showcasing thepassports that offer the most extensive travel access. At the pinnacle ofthe list, six countries share the first position: Singapore, Japan, France,Germany, Italy, and Spain. Nationals from these nations enjoy easy entry to194 out of 227 destinations, illustrating a remarkably open globallandscape.
In a close second tier, Finland, South Korea, and Sweden boast passportsgranting visa-free access to 193 countries. Europe maintains its prominencein travel freedom, with Austria, Denmark, Ireland, and the Netherlandssecuring the third position, allowing access to 192 destinations.
Sharing the fourth position are the UK, Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, andPortugal, each with passports offering visa-free entry to 191 destinations.Greece, Malta, and Switzerland complete the top five, while Australia,Czech Republic, New Zealand, and Poland tie for the sixth spot.
The scenario takes a less favorable turn for South Asian passports.Afghanistan holds the undesirable title of having the world’s weakestpassport, providing visa-free access to only 28 countries. Pakistan faresslightly better, ranking fourth from the bottom with access to 34destinations. India occupies the 80th position, offering visa-free travelto 57 countries, while China stands at 62nd place with access to 85countries.
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The ranking is determined by Henley & Partners, a global citizenshipadvisory firm. They analyze passports from 199 countries based on thenumber of visa-free destinations available to their citizens. Points areassigned for each visa-free destination, with no points awarded forlocations requiring visas. The ranking, previously released quarterly, isnow updated monthly, reflecting the dynamic nature of travel regulations.