After being in the number one position for having the most powerful passport for five years, Japan is being replaced by Singapore in 2023, based on the Henley Passport Index publication on Tuesday (18 Jul).
The index measures all the world’s passport rank according to the number of destinations the passport holder can access without a prior visa.
The index is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) which is the largest, most accurate travel information database. It’s updated in real-time throughout the year.
Singapore has gone up from number two in 2022 to number one, according to the latest ranking, for having visa-free access to 192 out of 227 destinations.
By having visa-free access to 192 destinations, Singapore’s passport holders are allowed to enter most countries easily, without having to prepare extra requirements, such as a visa.
Chairman of Henley and Partner, Christian H. Kaelin notes that Singapore has been busy securing greater travel freedom for their citizen over the past decade, gaining visa-free access to 25 new destinations.
Commenting on the news, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong wrote on his Facebook, saying, “Singaporeans love to travel. Each time we do so, the passport we carry is a small reminder — that amidst our current challenges, we can continue to stand tall and proud as citizens of this little red dot, with the confidence that we have a lot going for us today, and will keep on building a better tomorrow!”
While Singapore has gone up, by Summer 2023, Japan shares number three positions with Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, South Korea and Sweden for having visa-free access to 189 destinations around the world.
With Japan dropping to third, Italy, Germany and Spain secured their position for the second rank for having visa-free access to 190 destinations.
European countries strengthen their position at the top rank, while the United States continues its slide down the ranking. This year, the US ranks eight for having visa-free access to 184 destinations. The US shares this position with Lithuania.
At the bottom, Syria ranks 101 for having visa-free access to 30 destinations, Iraq ranks 102 with visa-free access to 29 destinations, and the last one is Afghanistan ranks 103 with visa-free access to 27 destinations.
