The world has modified so much within the last five years. A world pandemic has shut down much of the world’s population, and travel has been more restricted than ever in my life – and most definitely in your life too. Russia’s war against Ukraine and now Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza are sending shockwaves around the globe, changing the status of nations and the rights of their residents.
The key to traveling around the globe visa-free… but where does your passport take you?
With 2024 now underway, the annual results of the Henley Pass Index Provide insight into the world’s global power players and the impact and legacy of wars and the pandemic. It also gives us a tantalizing glimpse of what lies ahead. Based on exclusive data from the world’s largest travel information database, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), based on reputable internal research, ranks all 199 global passports by the variety of destinations holders can visit without requiring a visa upfront.
Pass Power Rankings
Towards the tip of 2023, Japan lost its place at the highest of the passport rankings for the primary time in five years, being overtaken by Singapore. As 2024 dawned, that lead modified again. This time, nonetheless, an unprecedented six countries share the highest spot with visa-free access to a record-breaking variety of destinations.
Four EU member states – France, Germany, Italy and Spain – join Singapore and a resurgent Japan in having the world’s strongest passports, whose residents can visit a staggering 194 of 227 destinations across the globe visa-free.
Singapore is at the highest of the Passport Index at the tip of 2023 and has been joined by five other countries.
Asia and Europe proceed to dominate the index as we move down the list. South Korea, Finland and Sweden share second place with visa-free travel to 193 destinations. Close behind are Austria, Denmark, Ireland and the Netherlands with 192 destinations.
The UK sees a slight year-on-year improvement with visa-free access to a few more countries, rating 191st and fourth, shared with Luxembourg, Portugal and Norway. The US has also turned around after a decade of decline, moving up one place to seventh place with travel to 188 visa-free destinations, together with Canada and Hungary. Both the UK and US are still well below where they were a decade ago, after they shared top spot on this planet rankings.
Japan has regained its top spot in global mobility. The real query is: Why would anyone leave?
Afghanistan stays at the underside of the index in 104th place with visa-free travel to only 28 destinations, just behind Syria and Iraq. As chairman of Henley & Partners, Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, points out that the final trend within the history of the 19-year-old rating is towards greater freedom to travel. He notes that the worldwide mobility gap between those at the highest and bottom of the index is now wider than ever. “The average number of destinations travelers can enter visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024. However, as we begin the new year, the top-ranked countries can now travel to an incredible 166 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan.”
Pass index climbers and fallers
Over the last decade, no country has risen higher within the index than the UAE. From fifty fifth place in 2014, the country added 106 visa-free destinations to its passport, moving up 44 places to eleventh place, with access to 183 destinations.
Despite the Russian invasion, Ukraine continues to climb the passport index rating yr after yr.
Other big risers include Ukraine and China, which have each gained 21 places within the last decade. Ukraine is now in thirty second place with 148 visa-free destinations and China is now in 62nd place with access to 85 destinations, each up two places from last yr. While Russia has improved 24 destinations over the past decade, its visa waiver rating and rating has barely modified since 2017 and is now in 51st place with access to 119 destinations.
Key global mobility and migration trends in 2024
Looking ahead to 2024, the mantra appears to be: prepare for more uncertainty. Rector of the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, Misha Glenny notes: “In 2024, crucial elections will be held in 40 countries that generate over 50% of global GDP, including the US and several other major powers.” Political trends suggest an absence of geopolitical coordination, which increases the danger of future shocks increased in an already precarious economic environment. However, the final trend stays stable. A decline in American and European influence and an influence tussle among the many Asian big boys.”
In the center east, Dr. Robert Mogielnicki, a senior resident scholar on the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, says that despite the “devastating impact” of the Israel-Hamas conflict, governments within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region hope to take care of the economic momentum of 2023 next yr to proceed. “The Gulf Cooperation Council has agreed to the introduction of a Schengen-like visa system that will allow tourists to travel smoothly across the region. While more implementation work remains to be done throughout 2024, the planned regional mobility improvements will have a positive impact on the smaller Gulf states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. The Gulf Cooperation Council’s Unified Tourist Visa project serves as an important example of sub-regional integration and connectivity – a process that would be extremely difficult to replicate across the Middle East and North Africa.”
Global mobility is improving, but geopolitical uncertainty could mean a bumpy ride.
The ten strongest passports on this planet
34 countries now occupy the highest ten positions listed below. Or take a take a look at the complete rankings.
1. France: 194
1. Germany: 194
1. Spain: 194
1. Italy: 194
1. Japan: 194
1. Singapore: 194
2. South Korea: 193
2. Finland: 193
2. Sweden: 193
3. Austria: 192
3. Denmark: 192
3. Netherlands: 192
3. Ireland: 192
4. Luxembourg: 191
4. Portugal: 191
4. United Kingdom: 191
4. Norway: 191
4. Belgium: 191
5. Greece: 190
5. Malta: 190
5. Switzerland: 190
6. Czech Republic: 189
6. Australia: 189
6. New Zealand: 189
6. Poland: 189
7. United States: 188
7. Canada: 188
7. Hungary: 188
8. Lithuania: 187
8. Estonia: 187
9. Latvia: 186
9. Slovakia: 186
9. Slovenia: 186
10. Iceland: 185
