Looking to plan a trip abroad? Unfortunately, the U.S. passport is not as powerful as it once used to be.
Last year, the U.S. passport dropped to its lowest ranking ever on the Henley Passport Index since Henley & Partners first began publishing it in 2006. Though just over a decade ago the American passport was ranked the strongest in the world–granting near-unmatched global access–it fell to 10th place in July.
Three months later in October 2025, it fell out of the top 10 most powerful entirely for the first time in history, tying with Malaysia at No. 12.
The good news: things are looking up for 2026. The U.S. passport has reclaimed its No. 10 spot on the list. The bad news: it lost access to some destinations compared to 2025.
The Henley Passport Index is the original, authoritative ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. The index is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA)–the largest, most accurate travel information database–alongside in-house research and online data.
The entire index is updated monthly and takes a look at 199 different passports and 227 travel destinations.
Your passport is no longer just a travel document — it’s a reflection of your country’s diplomatic influence and international relationships. – Henley & Partners CEO Dr. Juerg Steffen.
Once again, Singapore holds the strongest passport in the world according to the 2026 ranking, with access to 192 destinations. The U.S. passport only has to access to 179 destinations as of 2026, one less compared to the October 2025 ranking.
Practically speaking, this doesn’t mean Americans will suddenly struggle to travel–but it does highlight a shift in global mobility.
10 strongest passports in the world right now
- Singapore (#1) – access to 192 destinations
- Japan (#2) – access to 187 destinations
- South Korea (#2) – access to 187 destinations
- United Arab Emirates (#2) – access to 187 destinations
- Sweden (#3) – access to 186 destinations
- Belgium (#4) – access to 185 destinations
- Denmark (#4) – access to 185 destinations
- Finland (#4) – access to 185 destinations
- France (#4) – access to 185 destinations
- Germany (#3) – access to 185 destinations
- Ireland (#3) – access to 185 destinations
- Italy (#3) – access to 185 destinations
- Luxembourg (#4) – access to 185 destinations
- Netherlands (#4) – access to 185 destinations
- Norway (#4) – access to 185 destinations
- Spain (#4) – access to 185 destinations
- Switzerland (#4) – access to 185 destinations
- Austria (#5) – access to 184 destinations
- Greece (#5) – access to 184 destinations
- Malta (#5) – access to 184 destinations
- Portugal (#5) – access to 184 destinations
- New Zealand (#5) – access to 187 destinations
- Hungary (#6) – access to 185 destinations
- Malaysia (#6) – access to 185 destinations
- Poland (#6) – access to 185 destinations
- United Kingdom (#6) – access to 185 destinations
- Australia (#7) – access to 182 destinations
- Canada (#7) – access to 182 destinations
- Czechia (#7) – access to 182 destinations
- Latvia (#7) – access to 182 destinations
- New Zealand (#7) – access to 182 destinations
- Slovakia (#7) – access to 182 destinations
- Slovenia (#7) – access to 182 destinations
- Croatia (#8) – access to 181 destinations
- Estonia (#8) – access to 181 destinations
- Liechtenstein (#9) – access to 180 destinations
- Lithuania (#9) – access to 180 destinations
- Iceland (#10) – access to 179 destinations
- United States (#10) – access to 179 destinations
With access to 179 destinations, the American passport remains one of the most desirable travel documents in the world–even if it’s not as unbeatable as it once was. Learn more at Henley & Partners’ website.
