The German passport has been superseded as the world's preeminent travel document. Two Asian countries now share top billing.
Citizens of Japan and Singapore enjoy visa-free access to a record 180 countries, making them the most powerful passports in the world, according to the Henley Passport Index released on Wednesday.
The move to top position for Japan and Singapore came after Uzbekistan lifted visa requirements for citizens of both countries this month. The German passport offers visa-free access to 179 worldwide destinations.
Asia’s Rising Power
Chinese and Indonesian citizens gained access to 13 additional destinations and their travel documents climbed 11 and ten positions on the index, respectively, while South Korea and Malaysia also moved higher. South Korea edged ahead of Australia and New Zealand, reflecting its pattern of international commercial acceptance.
Henley Passport Index is a live ranking of all the passports of the world according to the number of destinations their holders can travel to visa-free. The index is updated in real-time, as and when visa-policy changes come into effect.
