The Henley Passport Index just released their annual authoritative passport study which finds the world’s most powerful passports, and the United States is in the top 10! Using International Air Transport Association (IATA) data and Henley & Partners’ research, the ranking is based off of the number of accessible destinations passport holders have without a previous visa.
In 2025, Singapore came out on top, claiming the title as the world’s most powerful passport. Last year, Singapore tied with France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain for first place. Holders with a Singapore passport have visa-free access to 195 destinations.
The United States ranked as the ninth best passport in the world with visa-free access to 186 destinations. This is the first time in two years the United States has dropped in ranking–it held seventh place in 2024 and 2023. And unfortunately this isn’t the first time the power of the United States passport has fluctuated and ultimately dropped in ranking, either–it was sixth place in 2022 and was once first in the 2014 and 2006 studies. Yet at those times it granted access to less destinations.
When you compare the power of the current United States passport to Singapore, the latter passport grants visa-free access to countries including Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Cuba, Guinea, and Uzbekistan that the United States passport does not.
Curious how to improve your global mobility? According to Henley & Partners, it will take residence and citizenship by investment.
With all this in mind, if you plan to travel to Europe in the near future, you’ll eventually need a special travel authorization to enter 30 European countries. Plus, you now need this authorization to step foot in the UK.
The Henley Passport Index is the original and most authoritative passport index, with historical data spanning 19 years. The index includes 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations and, updated monthly, is the most robust and reliable index of its kind.
Visit Henley Global for the full ranking of the world’s most powerful passports.