U.S. Passport drops in global ranking for the first time in 20 years

For the first time in 20 years, the U.S. passport is no longer ranked among the world’s top 10 most powerful passports. It has dropped to 12th place, tied with Malaysia, allowing visa-free travel to 180 out of 227 destinations.

The Henley Passport Index ranks passports based on how many countries people can visit without needing a visa in advance. It uses travel data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Why the U.S. passport is losing power

In 2014, the U.S. passport was number one. But in recent years, several countries have removed visa-free access for Americans, including Brazil, China, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, and Somalia. These changes are partly due to the U.S. not offering the same visa-free access in return.

Henley & Partners Chairman, Dr. Christian Kaelin, says the drop in ranking shows a shift in global power. Countries that promote openness and cooperation are gaining influence, while others are falling behind.

The UK passport has also fallen from its top position in 2015 to 8th place today – its lowest ever.

Asia now leads in passport power

Asian countries now top the list:

• Singapore: 193 visa-free destinations;

• South Korea: 190;

• Japan: 189.

China has made big progress too, moving up from 94th place in 2015 to 64th in 2025, thanks to new visa agreements with many countries.

U.S. less open in return

While Americans can visit 180 countries visa-free, the U.S. only allows 46 countries to enter without a visa. This puts the U.S. in 77th place on the Openness Index.

The U.S. has also made it harder for people from some African, Middle Eastern, and Southeast Asian countries to get visas. A new $250 visa fee is also being planned, and the cost of applying for an online travel authorization recently nearly doubled.