Singapore passport is now most powerful in the world, with holders able to visit 192 visa-free destinations

SINGAPORE: The Henley Passport Index, released on Tuesday (Jul 18), shows that Singapore has ousted Japan and is now the most powerful passport in the world.

It is the first time in five years that Japan is not in first or second place.

Holders of Singapore passports may go to 192 out of 227 destinations around the globe without a visa. Japan, which used to be in first place, is now in third, tied with Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, South Korea, and Sweden, whose passport holders may go to 189 destinations visa-free.

In second place are Germany, Italy, and Spain, whose passport holders may go to 190 destinations across the world without a visa.

Last year, Japan was number one (193 destinations visa-free), while Singapore and South Korea were tied in second place (192 destinations visa-free).

Singapore has fared extremely well compared to other South East Asian nations, although Malaysia passport holders, tied in 11th place with Liechtenstein and Cyprus, may visit 180 destinations.

Thailand is in 64th place, along with Belarus and Lesotho (79 destinations), Indonesia is tied with Tanzania in 69th place (73 destinations), and the Philippines is in 74th place (66 destinations), tied with Armenia and Cape Verde Islands.

These rankings are based on data from the International Air Transport Authority, or IATA.

Interestingly, Henley & Partners noted in a statement that “the UK appears to have finally turned the corner after a six-year decline, jumping up two places on the latest ranking to 4th place — a position it last held in 2017.

On the other hand, the US continues its decade-long slide down the index, plummeting a further two places to the 8th spot with access to just 184 visa-free destinations.

The UK and the US jointly held first place on the index nearly 10 years ago in 2014 but have been on a downward trajectory ever since. Afghanistan remains entrenched at the bottom of the Henley Passport Index, with a visa-free access score of just 27, followed by Iraq (score of 29), and Syria (score of 30) — the three weakest passports in the world.” /TISG

Singapore still the second most powerful passport in 2020