Rankings of the Most Potent Travel Documents in 2021
In the world of international travel, the power of a passport can make all the difference. The Henley Passport Index, a global ranking of passport power, revealed the top 20 most powerful passports in 2021.
Singapore took the top spot, offering its citizens visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to an impressive 189 countries. Close behind were Japan and South Korea, both ranking second with access to 188 countries.
European Union countries dominated the top tiers. Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Greece, Malta, Poland, Czechia, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania all tied for positions within the top 20.
The United Kingdom and New Zealand also made the list, followed by Canada and the United States. The United Arab Emirates rounded out the top 16.
While precise 2021 data is not directly available, the rankings close to 2025, which have minimal variation, can be used for reference. By combining these close results, we can approximate the top 20 passports in 2021:
| Approx. Rank | Countries | |--------------|---------------------------------------| | 1 | Singapore | | 2 | Japan, South Korea | | 3-5 | Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Ireland | | 6-10 | Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Greece, Malta, Poland, Czechia, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania | | 11-15 | United Kingdom, New Zealand, Switzerland, Canada, Australia | | 16-20 | United States, United Arab Emirates |
These countries offered visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to approximately 185 to nearly 195 countries around that time, reflecting their passport power.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq had far fewer visa-free destinations. Afghanistan was at the bottom of the ranking, with access to only 30 destinations, while Iraq ranked 78th with access to 31 destinations.
Interestingly, the United States had fewer visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations compared to Germany in 2021. Of the 105 countries accessible to US citizens, 64 were visa-free. In comparison, Germany held the most powerful passport in 2021, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 134 destinations.
It is worth noting that in 2021, Belgium was no longer the most powerful passport, as it had been in 2020.
[1] Henley & Partners. (2021). Henley Passport Index. Retrieved from https://www.henleyglobal.com/research/henley-passport-index/
[2] Passport Index. (2021). Passport Index. Retrieved from https://www.passportindex.org/
[3] Arboleda, J. (2021). The Most Powerful Passport in the World in 2021. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/juanarboledam/2021/03/02/the-most-powerful-passport-in-the-world-in-2021/?sh=5a7b2a323d7f
[4] Schubert, R. (2021). The Most Powerful Passports of 2021. Travel + Leisure. Retrieved from https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/passports/most-powerful-passports-2021
Singapore's lifestyle, with its powerful passport, granted its citizens visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 189 destinations, making it the top destination for travel in 2021. Meanwhile, countries like Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq, with fewer visa-free destinations, faced limitations in their travel choices.
