Japan has retained its position as the most favourable passport in the world, allowing visa-free entry to 193 global destinations, according to the latest Henley Passport Index, which the country tops for the fifth consecutive year.
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Singapore and South Korea came in a joint second on the ranking, followed by Germany and Spain, and then a slew of other European nations.
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The US was among the top 22, with visa-free access to 186 places, matching the likes of Switzerland, New Zealand and Norway. China’s allows access to 80, the same as Bolivia’s. Russia’s is better, providing hassle-free entry to 118 destinations, while Afghanistan’s remained the weakest, with access to just 27.
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The Indian passport was ranked 85th, giving visa-free entry to 59 destinations worldwide. In 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, the country ranked at 82nd spot, 84th, 85th and 83rd respectively.
Indian passport holders can travel visa-free to, or get visas on arrival for destinations like Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Macao, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Kenya, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe and Qatar.
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The best passports to hold in 2023, according to the Henley Passport Index
1. Japan (193 destinations)
2. Singapore, South Korea (192 destinations)
3. Germany, Spain (190 destinations)
4. Finland, Italy, Luxembourg (189 destinations)
5. Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden (188 destinations)
6. France, Ireland, Portugal, United Kingdom (187 destinations)
7. Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United States, Czech Republic (186 destinations)
8. Australia, Canada, Greece, Malta (185 destinations)
9. Hungary, Poland (184 destinations)
10. Lithuania, Slovakia (183 destinations)
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The worst passports to hold in 2023, according to the Henley Passport Index
Several countries around the world have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 40 or fewer countries. These include:
102.North Korea (40 destinations)
103.Nepal, Palestinian territory (38 destinations)
104.Somalia (35 destinations)
105.Yemen (34 destinations)
106.Pakistan (32 destinations)
107.Syria (30 destinations)
108.Iraq (29 destinations)
109.Afghanistan (27 destinations)
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The ranking, published by London-based immigration consultancy Henley & Partners, uses data from the International Air Transport Association to rank 199 passports’ access to 227 travel destinations. The methodology differs from other passport indexes like one published by financial advisory Arton Capital, which put the United Arab Emirates in pole position.
