A passport is an important tool for international travellers. However, each country has a very different passport – and not all are as strong as each other. The latest Henley Passport Index unveiled the most powerful passports for the first quarter of 2021 this week.
The index is the original ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa.
Japan continues to hold the number one position on the index, with passport holders able to access 191 destinations around the world visa-free. This marks the third consecutive year that Japan has held the top spot, either alone or jointly with Singapore.
The best passports to hold in 2021 are:
1. Japan (191 destinations)
2. Singapore (190)
3. South Korea, Germany (189)
4. Italy, Finland, Spain, Luxembourg (188)
5. Denmark, Austria (187)
6. Sweden, France, Portugal, Netherlands, Ireland (186)
7. Switzerland, United States, United Kingdom, Norway, Belgium, New Zealand (185)
8. Greece, Malta, Czech Republic, Australia (184)
9. Canada (183)
10. Hungary (181)
The worst passports to hold
Several countries around the world have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to fewer than 40 countries. These include:
103. North Korea (39 destinations)
104. Libya, Nepal (38)
105. Palestinian territories (37)
106. Somalia, Yemen (33)
107. Pakistan (32)
108. Syria (29)
109. Iraq (28)
110. Afghanistan (26)
Turkey has ranked 53rd on the list with holders being bale to travelled to 110 countries visa-free, while Cyprus ranked 15th along with Chile and Monaco passport holders having access to 174 countries visa-free.