3 Asian Countries Take Top 2 Ranks In Henley Passport Index 2025, They Are...

Like every quarter, Henley & Partners have once again released their Passport Index, rating countries across the globe for the 'strength' of their passports. It is called the Henley Passport Index.

What Is The Henley Passport Index

The Henley Passport Index is a globally recognised, authoritative ranking of all the world's passports, based on the number of destinations their holders can access without needing a prior visa.

It is compiled using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and further researched by Henley & Partners. The ranking is updated regularly to reflect changes in global mobility and visa requirements.

Asia's Global Domination

This year, as the data is released, it seems that Asia dominates. India jumped 8 spots from 85th to 77th, and the first two spots are secured by three Asian countries - Singapore (1st), and Japan and South Korea sharing second.

These top three countries from Asia have pushed European countries like France, Germany, and Italy down the list. Last year, these three European nations were tied with Singapore for the strongest passport in the world, i.e. top rank.

Talking about Singapore, it's not new to the top position. Last year too, Singapore held the top spot. The first time it scored the number one position was in 2019, and since then, it has consistently stayed in the top two. By 2025, a Singapore passport allows access to 193 countries, visa-free or visa on arrival.

Singapore's historical ranking on the Henley Passport Index.

Japan, on the other hand, has slipped to second place after staying at the top for the past seven years, including the post-Covid era. A Japanese passport now gives you access to 190 countries : both visa-free and visa on arrival.

Japan's historical ranking on the Henley Passport Index.

South Korea has also managed to remain in the top two positions since 2020. Today, a South Korean passport allows access to 190 visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations - the same as Japan.

South Korea's historical ranking on the Henley Passport Index.

How Does Henley Rank Passports Actually?

The Henley Passport Index evaluates 199 different passports by measuring how many of the 227 global destinations they can access without needing a visa. Each destination that allows entry without a visa, or where travellers can get a visa on arrival, an ETA, or a visitor's permit, earns the passport a score of 1.

If a destination requires a visa in advance, or an e-Visa or other authorisation before arrival, the passport gets a score of 0.

To put it simply, the total score indicates how many countries a passport holder can visit without going through a formal visa process. This information comes directly from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). So, when Singapore is declared to have the world's strongest passport, it means its citizens enjoy the most hassle-free global travel access.