By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s passport has been ranked the fourth least powerful in the world for the fifth consecutive year, according to the 2025 Henley Passport Index, which evaluates 199 passports based on the number of destinations accessible without a prior visa.
Released on October 7, the index placed Pakistan at 103rd, tied with Yemen, with visa-free access to only 31 of 227 destinations. The Henley Passport Index, a widely regarded measure of global mobility, assigns a “visa-free score” based on the number of countries travelers can visit without a pre-arranged visa or with a visa on arrival.
Pakistan’s consistently low ranking highlights the significant obstacles its citizens face in international travel, with access to just 31 destinations, a figure largely unchanged in recent years. Pakistan’s passport outperformed only those of Iraq (104th, with access to 29 destinations), Syria (105th, with 26), and Afghanistan (106th, with 24). The ranking reflects ongoing challenges for nations affected by conflict or geopolitical isolation.
In 2024 and 2023, Pakistan ranked 100th, and in 2022, it was 109th with access to 32 countries. In 2021, it stood at 107th, also with a score of 32.
Singapore retained its position as the world’s most powerful passport, offering visa-free access to 193 destinations. South Korea ranked second with a score of 190, followed by Japan in third with 189. Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, and Switzerland tied for fourth, each with access to 188 destinations. Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, and the Netherlands ranked fifth with a score of 187.
Notably, the United States fell out of the top 10 for the first time in the index’s 20-year history, dropping to 12th alongside Malaysia, with access to 180 destinations. “Once unrivaled 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 & Partners stated in a news release.
The British passport also declined, falling from sixth to eighth since July, its lowest position ever, despite holding the top spot in 2015. The United Arab Emirates, however, advanced one rank to eighth with a score of 184, building on its entry into the top 10 last year. China’s passport dropped from 59th in 2024, with access to 85 destinations, to 64th this year, with a score of 82.
Pakistan’s low ranking stems from geopolitical tensions, security concerns, and restrictive visa policies imposed by other nations, limiting opportunities for business, education, and tourism. Analysts suggest that improving the passport’s standing would require sustained diplomatic efforts to enhance bilateral relations and address security perceptions.
Compiled by Henley & Partners, a London-based firm, the index draws on data from the International Air Transport Association and other sources to provide a comprehensive view of global travel freedom. In its 20th year, the index underscores persistent disparities in mobility between nations at the top and bottom of the rankings.
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