Like it or not, some passports are more powerful than others. When it comes to jet-setting around the world, your passport is your most important possession. You can misplace your sunglasses, your cell phone, and even your luggage, but do not misplace that travel document.
There are 227 countries included in the 2023 Henley Passport Index, and those who have a Japanese passport are able to visit 193 of them without a visa. It is for this reason that Japan has claimed the most powerful passport for the fifth year in a row.
Coming in joint second place, with just one country less, are South Korea and Singapore. Germany and Spain both claim third place with 190 destinations, followed by Italy; Finland; and Luxembourg with 189. The ranking means that Singapore has dropped one place as it held joint first in 2022, while the US sits at number 7.
“The Henley Passport Index measures visa-free access to 227 destinations across the world, which of course makes it an extremely useful tool for travelers,” stated Chairman of Henley & Partners, Dr. Christian H. Kaelin. “However, for global citizens and international businesspeople, a better measure of economic mobility and opportunity afforded by their passports is an indication of what share of the world’s GDP is accessible to them visa-free.”
While Japan flies high at the top of the index, Afghanistan is once again firmly at the bottom with only 27 countries accessible sans visa.