The Henley Passport Index Q4 Update October 2019 Henley Passport Index Q4: October 2019
About the Henley Passport Index
The Henley Passport Index is the original and most Explore the world authoritative ranking of all the world’s passports according to As well as allowing users to discover the strength of their the number of destinations their holders can access without own passports, henleypassportindex.com enables users to a prior visa. The index includes 199 passports and 227 travel compare their passport to others, looking at differences in destinations, giving users the most extensive and reliable access and learning where their passport ranks regionally information about the global access their passport affords as well as globally. It also allows users to explore 14 years’ them. With historical data spanning 14 years and regularly worth of historical data, discovering how the strength of updated expert analysis on the latest shifts in passport their passport has changed over the years, and looking at top rankings, the index is an invaluable resource for global climbers and fallers on the index. citizens and the standard reference tool for governments in this field.
Robust, reliable, and accurate Find out where you can travel visa-free View your passport ranking over 14 years The ranking is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information, and enhanced by continuous research by the Henley & Partners Research Department.
The index’s scoring system was developed with the goal of giving users a nuanced, practical, and reliable overview of their passport’s power. Each passport is scored on the total number of destinations that the holder can access visa-free. For each travel destination, if no visa is required for passport holders, then a score of 1 is created for that passport. This also applies if passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival, a visitor’s permit, or an electronic travel authority (ETA) upon entry.
Where a visa is required, or where a passport holder must apply for a government-approved electronic visa (e-Visa) Compare your passport power Improve your passport power before departure, a score of 0 is assigned. The same applies if they need pre-departure approval for a visa on arrival.
2 The information provided here reflects the 2019 Henley Passport Index ranking on 1 October 2019. 3 Henley Passport Index Q4: October 2019
Rank Passport Score
1 Japan 190 Malaysia 34 Panama 140 59 Fiji 88 79 Sierra Leone 63 Egypt
Singapore 13 Chile 174 35 Dominica 137 60 Guyana 87 80 Benin 62 Haiti
2 Finland 188 Poland 36 Peru 135 Nauru Kyrgyzstan Jordan
Germany 14 Cyprus 173 37 El Salvador 134 61 Jamaica 84 Mongolia Laos
South Korea Monaco Honduras Maldives Morocco 93 Burundi 48
3 Denmark 187 15 United Arab Emirates 172 38 Guatemala 132 62 Botswana 83 81 Armenia 60 Liberia
Italy 16 Romania 171 Venezuela Papua New Guinea Mozambique 94 Congo (Rep.) 47
Luxembourg 17 Argentina 170 39 Samoa 131 63 Bahrain 81 Sao Tome and Principe 95 Djibouti 46
4 France 186 Brazil Serbia 64 Oman 79 82 India 59 Myanmar
Spain Bulgaria 40 Solomon Islands 130 65 Bolivia 78 83 Burkina Faso 58 Nigeria
Sweden 18 Croatia 168 Vanuatu Suriname Mauritania 96 Sri Lanka 43
5 Austria 185 Hong Kong (SAR China) 41 Nicaragua 128 66 Thailand 77 84 Cote d'Ivoire 57 97 Congo (Dem. Rep.) 42
Netherlands 19 San Marino 167 42 Tuvalu 127 67 Namibia 76 Rwanda Ethiopia
Portugal 20 Andorra 166 43 Colombia 126 68 Belarus 75 Tajikistan South Sudan
6 Belgium 184 21 Brunei 165 Ukraine Kazakhstan 85 Gabon 56 98 Kosovo 41
Canada 22 Barbados 159 44 Tonga 125 69 Lesotho 74 Guinea 99 Bangladesh 40
Greece Israel 45 North Macedonia 123 Saudi Arabia Uzbekistan Eritrea
Ireland 23 Mexico 158 46 Kiribati 122 70 eSwatini 73 86 Senegal 55 Iran
Norway 24 Bahamas 154 Marshall Islands 71 Malawi 72 Togo 100 Lebanon 39
Switzerland St. Kitts and Nevis Montenegro 72 China 71 87 Guinea-Bissau 54 North Korea
United Kingdom 25 Uruguay 153 47 Micronesia 119 Kenya Madagascar 101 Nepal 38
United States 26 Seychelles 151 Moldova 73 Indonesia 70 Mali 102 Libya 37
7 Czech Republic 183 27 Costa Rica 150 Palau Islands Zambia Niger Palestinian Territory
Malta 28 Antigua and Barbuda 149 48 Russian Federation 117 74 Gambia 69 88 Cambodia 53 Sudan
8 New Zealand 182 29 Trinidad and Tobago 148 49 Bosnia and Herzegovina 116 75 Tanzania 68 Chad 103 Yemen 33
9 Australia 181 Vatican City 50 Georgia 114 Tunisia Comores Islands 104 Pakistan 31
Lithuania 30 Mauritius 146 51 Albania 113 76 Azerbaijan 66 89 Bhutan 52 Somalia
Slovakia 31 St. Lucia 145 52 Turkey 112 Cape Verde Islands Equatorial Guinea 105 Syria 29
10 Hungary 180 St. Vincent and the 53 South Africa 100 Uganda 90 Central African Republic 51 106 Iraq 27 Grenadines Iceland 54 Belize 99 77 Cuba 65 Turkmenistan 107 Afghanistan 25 Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) Latvia 55 Timor-Leste 95 Ghana Vietnam 32 Grenada 142 Slovenia 56 Kuwait 93 Philippines 91 Algeria 50 Paraguay 11 Estonia 179 57 Qatar 92 78 Dominican Republic 64 92 Angola 49 33 Macao (SAR China) 141 12 Liechtenstein 177 58 Ecuador 91 Zimbabwe Cameroon
4 The information provided here reflects the 2019 Henley Passport Index ranking on 1 October 2019. 5 Henley Passport Index Q4: October 2019
Q4 Insights and Analysis: It’s ‘the Age of Asia’ When it Comes to Passport Power
As the global economy transforms and centers of power shift, Dr. Madeleine Sumption: Brexit and Dr. Marina Soroka: Russia Asia’s dominance appears to be unfaltering. Entering into Dr. Christian H. Kaelin: Visa Freedom the EU the final quarter of 2019, Japan and Singapore retain a firm Independent scholar and published and Economic Freedom hold on first place on the Henley Passport Index, each with Director of the Migration Observatory author with expertise in the history of a visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of 190 out of a maximum Chairman of Henley & Partners at the University of Oxford European international relations 227. For most of the index’s 14-year history, the top spot has “Our ongoing research has shown us that when we are talking “The future of immigration policy in the UK does not depend “Russia’s recent moves to ease visa restrictions should help been held by a European country or by the US. However, this about ‘passport power’, we are discussing more than simply fundamentally on whether or not the UK leaves the EU with increase the inflow of tourists and investors and improve trend shifted dramatically in 2018, with Asian countries now the destinations a holder can travel to without acquiring a visa a deal. In either scenario, there will be a ‘transitional period’ Russia’s image beyond its borders, but issuing visas is usually firmly established as world leaders when it comes to both in advance. Often, there is a strong correlation between visa until at least December 2020, in which free movement of EU a matter of reciprocity between states, so the response from global economic activity and global mobility. freedom and other benefits such as business and investment citizens to the UK will continue more or less as it operates other countries may hamper or stimulate the process of freedom, independence of the judiciary, fiscal health, and today. After that, the UK is expected to introduce a new opening Russia to foreign visitors.” With visa-free or visa-on-arrival scores of 188, Finland, property rights.” immigration system that treats EU and non-EU citizens in Germany, and South Korea remain in 2nd place, while the same way. The full details of this system have not yet Denmark, Italy, and Luxembourg are in 3rd place, with been announced, but it will make long-term settlement citizens of those countries now able to access 187 destinations much harder for EU citizens. UK citizens who want to move Lorraine Charles: UAE worldwide without requiring a visa in advance. With a score to EU countries after Brexit will also face more restrictive of 184, the UK and the US remain in joint 6th place — the Research Associate at the University of Dr. Juerg Steffen: Investment Migration immigration regimes.” lowest position either country has held since 2010 and a Cambridge’s Centre for Business Research significant drop from their 1st-place ranking in 2014. Both CEO of Henley & Partners “The power of the UAE passport depicts a nation that is Russia and China have made small gains over the past three “Regarding the connections between visa freedom and attempting to position itself as a prominent player in the months: Russia is up three places and now ranks 48th on the economic freedom, countries with investment migration Dr. Parag Khanna: Brexit and Asia region. While the UAE may not be able to compete with index with a score of 117, and China has inched up two places programs are among the best examples. Malta, for instance, Saudi Arabia — the regional hegemon — in terms of military and now sits on 72nd place with a score of 71. Founder and Managing Partner has one of the strongest passports in the world and is strength and economic power, the projection of its soft power of FutureMap performing exceedingly well in terms of fiscal health. has become uncontested in the Gulf Cooperation Council While the positions on the index’s top 10 have remained The statistics speak for themselves, as does the ongoing “For more than a year, former UK foreign secretary Jeremy (GCC), making the UAE an embodiment of inspiration for relatively stable since the last update in July, there have popularity of the investment migration industry with both Hunt has been saying that Asia would need to be a pillar of other GCC countries.” been some striking shifts further down the ranking. Most wealthy clients and sovereign states.” the country’s post-Brexit global economic policy. If indeed dramatically, the UAE has climbed an extraordinary five the UK is able to advance more free trade in services with places over the last three months (and 46 places over the Asian countries, this will require more British citizens to Ryan Cummings: Sub-Saharan Africa past decade) and now sits in 15th place, with UAE passport spend time in Asia to generate business across sectors such holders able to access 172 destinations without a prior visa. Director at Signal Risk and independent as finance, advisory, education, and others. At present, Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan remain at the bottom of the consultant to international news outlets, however, Asian markets have not prioritized individual free ranking, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival scores of just 29, publications, and think tanks trade agreements with the UK over their current negotiations 27, and 25, respectively. with the EU.” “Sub-Saharan Africa continues to make tentative progress in terms of improving its accessibility. Sierra Leone and Namibia are the latest countries to ease visa restrictions as a means of attracting foreign investment, revenue, and skillsets to augment their economic development goals.”
6 The information provided here reflects the 2019 Henley Passport Index ranking on 1 October 2019. 7 Henley Passport Index Q4: October 2019
Strongest Passports in Q4 2019 Weakest Passports in Q4 2019
Moving into the fourth quarter of 2019, Japan and 1st 103rd Singapore remain in joint top spot on the Henley Passport Index, with a visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of 190. Visa-free access to Visa-free access to Finland, Germany, and South Korea hold joint second 190 destinations Japan Singapore 33 destinations Yemen place, with citizens of those countries able to access 188 destinations around the world without a prior visa.
2nd 104th At the other end of the global mobility spectrum, the Afghan passport remains the world’s weakest, in 107th Visa-free access to Visa-free access to place, with a visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of just 25. 188 destinations Finland Germany South Korea 31 destinations Pakistan Somalia
3rd 105th
Visa-free access to Visa-free access to 187 destinations Denmark Italy Luxembourg 29 destinations Syria
4th 106th
Visa-free access to Visa-free access to 186 destinations France Spain Sweden 27 destinations Iraq
5th 107th
Visa-free access to Visa-free access to 185 destinations Austria Netherlands Portugal 25 destinations Afghanistan
This infographic shows the countries that occupy the highest and lowest ranks on the Henley Passport Index. In certain cases, a rank is shared by multiple countries if these countries all have the same level of visa-free or visa-on-arrival access.
8 The information provided here reflects the 2019 Henley Passport Index ranking on 1 October 2019. 9 Henley Passport Index Q4: October 2019
Passport Power Worldwide
This map shows the differences in relative passport power on a global scale, with light gray used to indicate the passports with the lowest visa-free or visa-on-arrival score and dark blue used to indicate the passports with the highest score.
Passport rank
1–10
11–20
21-30
31-60
61–90
91–107
10 The information provided here reflects the 2019 Henley Passport Index ranking on 1 October 2019. 11 Henley Passport Index Q4: October 2019
Biggest Climbers and Fallers on the Henley Passport Index: 2009 to 2019
This graph shows the countries that have climbed the highest up the Henley Passport Index rankings over the past decade, as well as those that have fallen most sharply over that period.
+46
+25 +23 +23 +23 +21 +20 -23 -22 -22 -22 -28 -26 -26
United Arab Albania Taiwan (Chinese Serbia Bosnia and Colombia Timor-Leste Nigeria Sierra Bangladesh Syria Gambia Senegal Mali Emirates Taipei) Herzegovina Leone
2019 15 51 31 39 49 43 55 2009 67 53 73 82 52 64 65
2009 61 76 54 62 72 64 75 2019 95 79 99 105 74 86 87
Rank Rank
Biggest Climbers Since 2009 Biggest Fallers Since 2009
12 The information provided here reflects the 2019 Henley Passport Index ranking on 1 October 2019. 13 Henley Passport Index Q4: October 2019
The Link between Visa Freedom and Economic Freedom
Using historic data from the Henley Passport Index and the Index of Economic Freedom, political science researchers Uğur Altundal and Ömer Zarpli of Syracuse University and the University of Pittsburgh, respectively, found a strongly Japan Singapore Austria Canada UK Malta Australia positive connection between visa freedom and a variety of indicators of economic freedom, including foreign direct investment inflows, property rights, tax burden, and investment freedom.
Looking at the latest rankings from the Henley Passport Index, Altundal and Zarpli observed that “countries that have higher visa scores also rank higher in economic UAE Russia South Africa China Sudan Eritrea Afghanistan freedom, especially in investment, financial, and business freedom”. One especially striking example of this positive correlation is Singapore, which ranks highest in nearly all economic indicators and holds the top spot on the Henley Passport Index.
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