Asian nations dominate latest passport power index, with India recording largest jump
Published: 01 Aug 2025 - 09:29 pm | Last Updated: 01 Aug 2025 - 09:50 pm
Doha: Qatar has held its position in the latest quarterly update of the Henley Passport Index, remaining at 47th globally and second among Middle Eastern countries.
The recent ranking, released on July 22, 2025, assessed the strength of 199 passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. Qatari passport holders currently enjoy visa-free access to 112 destinations out of 227 globally.
Among GCC countries, Qatar ranks second after the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which climbed two places to reach 8th, offering visa-free access to 184 destinations. Other Gulf nations are ranked as follows: Kuwait (50th, 100 destinations), Saudi Arabia (54th, 91 destinations), Bahrain (55th, 90 destinations), and Oman (56th, 88 destinations).
Asian nations dominate
Asian countries continue to lead in global mobility. Singapore holds the top spot, granting its citizens visa-free access to 193 destinations. Japan and South Korea share second place, each with access to 190 destinations.
Meanwhile, India recorded its largest-ever improvement, rising eight spots to 77th, up from 85th last year. Indian passport holders can now travel visa-free to 59 destinations.
US and UK continue to decline
Once the most powerful passports globally - the US in 2014 and the UK in 2015 - both nations continue to slip in the rankings.
The United States has fallen to 10th place, with visa-free access to 182 destinations, down from 9th earlier this year. This marks the lowest position ever for the US in the 20-year history of the index.
The United Kingdom also dropped one position to 6th, offering visa-free access to 186 destinations.
Countries with highest number of citizens living in Qatar
1. India (77th, 59 destinations)
2. Bangladesh (94th, 39 destinations)
3. Nepal (95th, 38 destinations)
4. Egypt (85th, 49 destinations)
5. Philippines (72nd, 65 destinations)
6. Pakistan (96th, 32 destinations)
7. Sri Lanka (91st, 42 destinations)
8. Sudan (92nd, 41 destinations)
9. Syria (98th, 27 destinations)
10. Jordan (84th, 51 destinations)
World’s most powerful passports (as of July 2025)
1. Singapore (193 destinations)
2. Japan, South Korea (190 destinations)
3. Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain (189 destinations)
4. Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden (188 destinations)
5. Greece, New Zealand, Switzerland (187 destinations)
6. United Kingdom (186 destinations)
7. Australia, Czechia, Hungary, Malta, Poland (185 destinations)
8. Canada, Estonia, United Arab Emirates (184 destinations)
9. Croatia, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia (183 destinations)
10. Iceland, Lithuania, United States (182 destinations)
At the bottom of the index, Afghanistan holds the 99th spot, offering its citizens visa-free access to only 25 destinations. Syria follows at 98th with access to 27 countries, and Iraq is 97th with entry to 30 destinations.
The Henley Passport Index is compiled using exclusive and official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), with quarterly updates ranking passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access visa-free or with visa-on-arrival.
“A passport today is more than a travel document. It reflects a country’s diplomatic influence, global integration, and foreign policy priorities...Your passport is no longer just a travel document, but a reflection of your country’s diplomatic influence and international relationships,” said Dr Juerg Steffen, CEO of Henley & Partners.
