The 2023 Henley Passport Index has unveiled this year’s most powerful passports and there’s been a big shakeup at the top of the list.
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The competition for top spot is heating up with a whopping 34 countries featuring in the top 10, headlined by Singapore unseating Japan to claim the world’s most powerful passport. Germany, Italy and Spain follow closely in joint second spot, each allowing access to 190 countries.
Japan, which held the top spot for five years and had visa-free access to 191 destinations, has been dethroned and now shares third spot with Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, South Korea and Sweden.
Despite the shakeup at the top, Australia maintains a strong position in the sixth spot alongside Hungary and Poland.
The world’s most powerful passports in 2023
| Rank | Country | Visa-free Access |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 192 |
| 2 | Germany | 190 |
| 2 | Italy | 190 |
| 2 | Spain | 190 |
| 3 | Austria | 189 |
| 3 | Finland | 189 |
| 3 | France | 189 |
| 3 | Japan | 189 |
| 3 | Luxembourg | 189 |
| 3 | South Korea | 189 |
| 3 | Sweden | 189 |
| 4 | Denmark | 188 |
| 4 | Ireland | 188 |
| 4 | Netherlands | 188 |
| 4 | United Kingdom | 188 |
| 5 | Belgium | 187 |
| 5 | Czech Republic | 187 |
| 5 | Malta | 187 |
| 5 | New Zealand | 187 |
| 5 | Norway | 187 |
| 5 | Portugal | 187 |
| 5 | Switzerland | 187 |
| 6 | Australia | 186 |
| 6 | Hungary | 186 |
| 6 | Poland | 186 |
| 7 | Canada | 185 |
| 7 | Greece | 185 |
| 8 | Lithuania | 184 |
| 8 | United States | 184 |
| 9 | Latvia | 183 |
| 9 | Slovakia | 183 |
| 9 | Slovenia | 183 |
| 10 | Estonia | 182 |
| 10 | Iceland | 182 |
The worst passports to hold
| Rank | Country | Visa-free Access |
|---|---|---|
| 101 | Syria | 30 |
| 102 | Iraq | 29 |
| 103 | Afghanistan | 27 |
What is the Henley Passport Index?
The Henley Passport Index ranks 199 global passports utilising data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). It consistently updates in real time all year round, adjusting with every visa policy modification that takes effect.
