An unprecedented six countries share the top spot with visa-free access to a record-breaking number of destinations on the 2024 Henley Passport Index, which is based on exclusive and official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Four EU member states — France, Germany, Italy, and Spain — join Japan and Singapore in boasting the most powerful passports 2024 in the world, with their citizens able to visit an astonishing 194 destinations out of 227 around the globe visa-free. The two Asian nations have dominated 1^st place on the index (which ranks all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa) for the past five years.

Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners and the inventor of the passport index concept, says although the general trend over the history of the 19-year-old ranking has been towards greater travel freedom, the global mobility gap between those at the top and bottom of the index is now wider than ever. “The average number of destinations travelers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024. However, as we enter the new year, the top-ranked countries are now able to travel to a staggering 166 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan, which sits at the bottom of the ranking with access to just 28 countries without a visa.”

The world’s most powerful passports for 2024

• France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain (194 destinations)
• Finland, South Korea, Sweden (193 destinations)
• Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands (192 destinations)
• Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom (191 destinations)
• Greece, Malta, Switzerland (190 destinations)
• Czech Republic, New Zealand, Poland (189 destinations)
• Canada, Hungary, United States (188 destinations)
• Estonia, Lithuania (187 destinations)
• Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia (186 destinations)
• Iceland (185 destinations)

About the 2024 Henley Passport Index 

With cutting-edge expert commentary and historical data spanning over 19 years, the Henley Passport Index is the original ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. Originally created by Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, the ranking is based on exclusive and official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information. It is enhanced by extensive, ongoing research by the Henley & Partners Research Department.

Along with the Kälin – Kochenov Quality of Nationality Index, it is considered a major reference tool for global citizens and the standard reference for government policy in this field.