When it comes to traveling from one country to another without restrictions and getting through border controls faster, there is an elite group of passports that have more power than others.
According to the latest Henley Passport Index report , the top three passports belong to Asian countries: Singapore in first place, while Japan and South Korea share second place.
Singapore citizens enjoy visa-free access to 192 of the 227 countries and territories tracked by the index, created by London-based firm Henley & Partners, which uses exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association.
Japan and South Korea are close behind, with visa-free access to 188 destinations.
Five European countries share third place: Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, each with visa-free access to 186 countries.
Three countries from the Balkans are on the list of the 10 most powerful passports in the world for 2026. They are Greece, Croatia, and Slovenia.
Ten European countries rank fourth: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway, with a score of 185.
Fifth place is held by Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United Arab Emirates, with 184 destinations.
The rise of the United Arab Emirates
The UAE is the strongest performer in the index’s 20-year history, adding 149 visa-free destinations since 2006 and climbing 57 places in the rankings. The report says this is the result of “sustained diplomatic engagement and visa liberalization.”
In sixth place are: Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Malta, New Zealand and Poland.
Australia holds seventh place, along with Latvia, Liechtenstein and the United Kingdom.
The United Kingdom suffered the biggest annual loss in the index, falling to 182 visa-free destinations, eight fewer than a year ago.
In eighth place are Canada, Iceland and Lithuania (with 181 destinations), while Malaysia ranks ninth (with 180).
The United States has returned to tenth place with a score of 179, after a temporary drop at the end of 2025. However, this is not a complete recovery, as there are 37 countries on the list that surpass the US, one more than last year.
The US has lost visa-free access to 7 destinations over the past 12 months and has suffered its third-largest drop in the rankings in the last two decades, falling from fourth place to tenth.
On the other side of the list, Albania and Kosovo lag behind compared to other countries in the region. Albania ranks 43rd with 121 destinations, while Kosovo ranks 59th with 81 destinations.
Stability and reliability
“Passport strength reflects political stability, diplomatic credibility and the ability to shape international rules,” said journalist Misha Glenny in the Henley & Partners report.
At the bottom of the index, Afghanistan remains in 101st place, with visa-free access to only 24 destinations. Syria is in 100th place (26 destinations) and Iraq in 99th place (29 destinations). The difference between the strongest and weakest passports is 168 destinations.
Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners, said: “Passport privilege plays a crucial role in shaping opportunity, security and economic participation. The benefits of global mobility have been unevenly distributed, increasingly concentrated in the most economically powerful and politically stable countries.”
Dual citizenship
Henley & Partners helps high-net-worth individuals obtain dual citizenship around the world. In 2025, the firm reported that it had helped clients from 91 nationalities, with Americans accounting for 30% of business.
However, some European countries have tightened requirements for citizenship by descent and for “golden passport” programs, which grant citizenship in exchange for financial or property investments. In the US, Republican Senator Bernie Moreno has proposed a law that would prohibit Americans from holding dual citizenship.
Ranking of the most powerful passports for 2026 (according to Henley Passport Index)
Singapore (192 destinations)
Japan, South Korea (188)
Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland (186)
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway (185)
Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates (184)
Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Malta, New Zealand, Poland (183)
Australia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, United Kingdom (182)
Canada, Iceland, Lithuania (181)
Malaysia (180)
United States (179)