Pakistani passport remains fourth worst globally for fifth year: Henley Index

New Delhi: Pakistan’s passport has once again ranked among the world’s weakest travel documents, maintaining its position as the fourth worst for the fifth consecutive year, according to the 2025 Henley Passport Index. The index evaluates 199 passports based on the number of destinations their holders can visit without securing a visa beforehand.

In the global rankings released on October 7, Pakistan’s passport was placed 103rd — tied with Yemen — ranking higher than only Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. Holders of Pakistani and Yemeni passports can travel visa-free to just 31 destinations out of 227 worldwide. In comparison, Iraqis can visit 29 countries, Syrians 26, and Afghans only 24 without a prior visa. The Dawn reported. 

Since 2021, Pakistan’s passport has consistently been listed as the fourth weakest globally by the Henley Index, which measures countries’ "visa-free score” — the number of destinations accessible without a prior visa or with a visa on arrival. In previous years, Pakistan ranked 100th in both 2024 and 2023, 109th in 2022 (with visa-free entry to 32 destinations), and 107th in 2021, maintaining the same score of 32.

At the top of the 2025 list, Singapore once again claimed the world’s most powerful passport, granting visa-free access to 193 destinations. South Korea followed in second place with a score of 190, while Japan came in third with access to 189 destinations.

Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain and Switzerland shared the fourth position, each offering their citizens entry to 188 destinations without a visa. Meanwhile, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland and the Netherlands were ranked fifth, providing visa-free access to 187 countries.

The index also highlighted a major shift among global powers. For the first time since the Henley Passport Index was established 20 years ago, the United States has dropped out of the top 10. "Once unrivalled at No.1 in 2014, the American passport has now slumped to 12th place, tied with Malaysia, with visa-free access to only 180 of 227 destinations worldwide,” Henley said in a press release.

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The United Kingdom also recorded a decline, falling from sixth to eighth place — its lowest-ever ranking — despite once topping the list in 2015. The United Arab Emirates’ passport, which entered the top 10 for the first time last year, climbed one spot to eighth with a visa-free score of 184.

China’s passport saw a slight fall, slipping from 59th place last year to 64th this year, with its visa-free score dropping from 85 to 82.