While different rating systems evaluate passport power based on everything from visa-free access to investment opportunities for wealthy foreigners, Henley & Partners publishes what is widely considered to be the most authoritative ranking in the world.

The London-based global citizenship advisory firm first published its Henley Passport Index in 2006 and has continued to release both annual and seasonal reports that indicate which passports grant its holders the most freedom to travel around the world.

While the United States tied with the United Kingdom for the top spot in 2014, both countries have slipped significantly over the years and in the 2026 ranking released this week — in the case of the U.S., to the 12th spot globally.

These countries now have the most powerful passports in the world

The Henley ranking considers passport power in terms of how many countries holders can access visa-free or with visas upon arrival.

Singapore came out on top for the second year in a row, with visa-free access to 193 out of the 227 countries and, in some cases, autonomous territories looked at by the index.

South Korea came second with 190, while Japan followed close behind in third with 189.

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Tying in 12th place with Malaysia, the American passport has in 2026 slipped below the top 10 for the first time in the index’s history.

In a statement on the rankings, Henley & Partners chair Christian H. Kaelin said that the country’s isolationist politics have contributed to the fall in passport strength — over the last three years, many European countries surged ahead after China opened itself to visa-free travel for citizens of many EU and other Asian nations.

“Nations resting on past privilege are being left behind”

Other countries that grant visa-free access to Singaporeans but not Americans include Azerbaijan, Cuba, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

“The declining strength of the U.S. passport over the past decade is more than just a reshuffle in rankings — it signals a fundamental shift in global mobility and soft power dynamics,” Kaelin said. “Nations that embrace openness and cooperation are surging ahead, while those resting on past privilege are being left behind.”

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The European nations of Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, and Switzerland all tied for fourth place in the Henley ranking — as European countries have a Schengen Zone or border-free travel, EU passports, with few exceptions, all rank similarly.

Belgium, Denmark, France, Finland, Ireland, and the Netherlands all tied for fifth place. Falling behind on the number of visa-free countries after China opened to travelers from non-English-speaking countries, the United States and Canada also slipped significantly over the last decade to eighth and ninth places, respectively.

China, meanwhile, saw one of the highest ascents out of any country reviewed by the index after rising from 94th place in 2015 to 64th place in 2025, with visa-free access to 82 countries.

This came after many countries previously requiring Chinese citizens to apply for visas reciprocated by opening up to China as it did for them.

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