These Asian nations have the most powerful passports. Here's where the US falls
According to the latest Henley Passport Index released on Tuesday, July 22, Singaporeans continue to hold the most powerful passport for visa-free access to 193 out of 227 global destinations – the most of any citizenship.
For more than 20 years, investment firm Henley & Partners has ranked passport strength based on how many destinations its holders can enter without a visa, based on data from the International Air Transport Association.
This year, filling out the top three most powerful passports are those issued by Japan and South Korea, followed by those in the European Union. However, both the U.K. and U.S. fell several spots, continuing downward trend. This year, the U.S. landed in 10th place. It was first in 2014.
Some passports made significant leaps in the index, such as India jumping from 85th to 77th in just six months for visa-free travel to 59 destinations. Over the past decade, more than 80 passports have risen at least 10 spots – showcasing a global shift in mobility and openness, according to Henley & Partners, which specializes in obtaining residency and citizenship through investment.
"The consolidation we're seeing at the top underscores that access is earned – and must be maintained – through active and strategic diplomacy," said Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, inventor of the passport-index concept, in a statement. "Nations that proactively negotiate visa waivers and nurture reciprocal agreements continue to rise, while the opposite applies to those that are less engaged in such efforts."
How powerful is the US passport?
Tied with Lithuania and Iceland for 10th place, the U.S. passport offers visa-free access to 182 out of 227 destinations. Over the past decade, its strength has declined, making it the second-biggest faller on the index after Venezuela.
A quickly changing political landscape, including policies like more restrictive entry, has contributed to the U.S. passport's loss of power, especially as more Americans seek citizenship elsewhere.
"Americans are now leading the demand worldwide for alternative residence and citizenship options, with British nationals also among the top five globally," said Dr. Juerg Steffen, CEO at Henley & Partners, in a statement. "As the U.S. and U.K. adopt increasingly inward-looking policies, we're witnessing a marked rise in interest from their citizens seeking greater global access and security."
Most powerful passport ranking
Here are the most powerful passports in the world, according to the Henley Passport Index:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
21 minutes ago
- Axios
What to know about the "de minimis" exemption that Trump is now ending
President Trump revoked on Wednesday an exemption on tariffs for global packages worth less than $800. Why it matters: The "de minimis" loophole has been an important protection for businesses overseas and U.S. customers, and getting rid of it will make low-price goods from around the world more expensive for Americans. The suspension has been in place for China since April, and has had a serious impact on major Chinese retailers like Shein and Temu. What's next: After months of an on-and-off trade policy, Trump is moving ahead with his Friday deadline to raise, or put into effect, tariffs on both key goods and major allies. Here's what to know: When the suspension goes into effect State of play: The de minimis exemption will end on Aug. 29, the White House said. What the de minimis exemption is Packages valued under $800 have enjoyed an exemption from added duties, which has previously enabled foreign online retailers like Temu and Shein to sell super-cheap items to American consumers. By the numbers: The number of de minimis entries has grown to more than 1 billion in 2023 from 153 million in 2015, according to Congress. Context: Congress initially enacted the exemption in 1930 "to improve administrative efficiency and to avoid expense and inconvenience to the government," according to Congress' website. How the exemption will impact international products Zoom in: International shipments will taxed one of two ways: An "ad valorem" duty equal to the tariff rate set by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), or A "specific duty" with a temporary tax between $80 and $200 per item. After six months, however, "all applicable shipments must comply with the ad valorem duty methodology, " according to the White House statement. American travelers can still "bring back up to $200 in personal items and individuals can continue to receive bona fide gifts valued at $100 or less duty-free," however. How the suspension will impact U.S. businesses, consumers De minimis critics say the loophole has hurt U.S. businesses, such as fashion retailer Forever 21, which began liquidating its U.S. stores after blaming the rise of Shein and Temu in part for its downfall. "The ability for non-U.S. retailers to sell their products at drastically lower prices to U.S. consumers has significantly impacted the Company's ability to retain its traditional core customer base," Forever 21 co-chief restructuring officer Stephen Coulombe said in a court filing. The other side: Free-market think tank Cato Institute has argued that eliminating the exemption means "effectively raising taxes on American consumers and dramatically increasing shipping times." How the suspension has affected Chinese products Americans' use of Temu and Shein have slowed significantly since Trump closed the loophole for China, according to data shared with CNBC by market intelligence firm Sensor Tower.
Axios
21 minutes ago
- Axios
Price increases arrive from P&G, Adidas, others as tariffs hit home
A growing number of consumer goods companies are resorting to price hikes as they grapple with increased costs associated with tariffs. Why it matters: Price increases threaten to reignite inflation, which has been largely under control over the last two years. State of play: The dawn of Q2 earnings season has come with multiple price hike announcements: Adidas warned Wednesday that it may hike prices in the U.S. as it faces a $231 million increase in costs in the second half of 2025 in connection with tariffs, Reuters reported. Andre Schulten — CFO of Tide, Charmin and Gillette maker Procter & Gamble — said Tuesday that company will raise prices on about 25% of its products to account for tariffs. That's more than usual, he added on an earnings call. Others that have recently announced higher prices include Walmart, Ralph Lauren, Mattel, Subaru and Nike. Zoom out: It takes a long time for tariffs to work their way through the economy before they land in full on consumer's wallets. But early subtle signs are starting to show up in the official inflation data. Meanwhile, surveys and anecdotes about price increases have been piling up for weeks. Case in point: 62% of Americans said they've "experienced price increases on everyday goods and services as a result of recent tariffs," according to an Intuit Credit Karma survey released July 8.
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Consumer Confidence Improves in July as Inflation Fears Dip
Key Takeaways Consumer confidence, as measured by the Conference Board, rose in July. The reading comes after the index declined in June as worries over the labor market persisted. Consumer surveys have improved recently after falling in the wake of President Donald Trump's tariffs announcement in confidence improved more than expected in July as inflation worries receded slightly. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index came in at 97.2, an improvement of two points over June's revised reading. The report showed that consumers' short-term outlook for income, business and market conditions rose by 4.5 points, while their outlook for current business conditions declined slightly. Consumers' expectations for inflation over the year ahead dipped slightly to 5.8%, down from the peak of 7% in April. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal projected that the index would rise to 95.4. 'Consumer confidence has stabilized since May, rebounding from April's plunge, but remains below last year's heady levels,' said Stephanie Guichard, senior economist for global indicators at The Conference Board. 'They were a tad more positive about current business conditions in July than in June. However, their appraisal of current job availability weakened for the seventh consecutive month, reaching its lowest level since March 2021.' Consumer surveys declined in the months following Trump's early tariff announcements, but those worries have subsided as the president has announced a string of deals with trading partners. Consumers Have Increasing Worries Over Labor Market, Higher Interest Rates While consumers have brightened their outlook on the economy, their confidence is still below the levels seen in 2024, as the expectation index remained below the recessionary threshold, the widely followed survey showed. Of particular concern were jobs, with almost one in five consumers saying jobs were hard to get in July, up from 14.5% in January. The sentiment comes as employers reported fewer job openings in June. 'The big story remains the frozen labor market. Americans do not think it is easy to get a job right now,' said Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union. 'Americans are correct that it's tough to get a job outside of health care and education.' Consumers also said they believed mortgage, auto loan and credit card rates were more likely to rise than other types of interest rates, with credit card rates anticipated to rise the most. Update, July 29, 2025: This article was updated with additional commentary from economists. Read the original article on Investopedia
