For many travellers, the true weight of a passport is felt not at home, but at an immigration counter thousands of kilometres away. It determines whether a journey begins with excitement or paperwork, freedom or formalities. As international travel rebounds and borders grow busier, the difference between a strong passport and a weak one has never been more visible.
The Henley Passport Index, the world’s longest-standing passport ranking, has unveiled its 2026 list, mapping global mobility in clear numbers. The index ranks passports based on how many destinations their holders can access without securing a visa in advance.
A passport is ranked based on travel freedom, with the number of destinations a holder can access without a visa (or with a visa-on-arrival/ETA) an indicator of its strength. Higher numbers correlate with lower embassy visits, costs and flexibility to travel at a moment’s notice. For professionals, it means smoother cross-border travel and quicker access to global markets. Here are the countries that secured the top positions.
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