• Henley Passport Index 2019 has been released. The Index is based on data provided by the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) and covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations.

Important highlights:

• ASIAN COUNTRIES dominate the list for the most powerful passports in the world at the start of 2019.
• Japan offers the most powerful passports when it comes to visa-free travel, with access to 190 destinations. Singapore and South Korea follow close behind, tying for the No. 2 spot with access to 189 countries. The U.S. ties for sixth place, offering access to 185 destinations.
• France and Germany tie for third place, with access to 188 countries. Denmark, Finland, Italy and Sweden tie for fourth place, with access to 187 destinations.
• Luxembourg and Spain tie for No. 5, with 186 countries. Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland, the U.K. and the U.S. all ranked No. 6, with access to 185 countries.
• Belgium, Canada, Greece and Ireland tie for No. 7, with access to 184 countries, and the Czech Republic follows with the No. 8 spot, offering passport holders access to 183 countries. Malta claims the No. 9 spot, with access to 182 countries, and Australia, Iceland and New Zealand round out the top 10 with access to 181 destinations.
• India jumped two positions from 81st in 2018 to 79th this year with access to 61 countries. The country shared the spot with Armenia, Benin & Mongolia
• Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nepal ranked further low at 104, 102 and 94 respectively.

About Henley Passport index:

• The Henley Passport Index (HPI) is a global ranking of countries according to the travel freedom for their citizens. It started in 2006 as Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index (HVRI) and was modified and renamed in January 2018.
• The HPI consists of a ranking of passports according to how many other territories can be reached ‘visa-free’ (defined below). All distinct destination countries and territories in the IATA database are considered.