Thinking of visiting China, India, or Venezuela with a US passport for your winter break? Not so fast … or at least not before securing a visa. Some of the best wonders of the world require US citizens to obtain a visa before takeoff, an inconvenience in planning that long-awaited international getaway.
US passport holders can access 186 countries globally without a visa, putting it in eighth place among world passports on the global mobility spectrum, according to the 2024 Henley Passport Index. Passports from 27 other countries provide more global mobility than a US passport.
The index is a ranking of passports based on how many countries their holders can access without a visa and is based on data from the International Air Transport Authority.
Singapore is in the top spot with its passport, which allows holders to travel to 195 countries without first securing a visa. Japan had previously held the No. 1 position but has since fallen to No. 2, joining France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, which all allow access to 192 countries.
Below are the countries with the most powerful passports, ranked by ascending number of visa-free travel options, based on the Henley Passport Index. This ranking is accurate as of October 2024.
10. Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Iceland
Passport holders from these countries can visit 184 countries without visas in 2024.
9. Estonia, Lithuania, and United Arab Emirates
Holders of these passports can visit 185 countries without a visa in 2024.
8. USA
Travelers can visit 186 countries without a visa in 2024 if they have a passport from the USA.
7. Hungary, Czechia, Malta, and Canada
Travelers can visit 187 countries without visas in 2024 with a passport from Hungary, Czechia, Malta, or Canada.
6. Greece and Poland
Holders of Greek and Polish passports can visit 188 countries without a visa.
5. Portugal and Australia
Travelers can visit 189 countries without a visa in 2024 if they have a passport from these countries.
4. United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, New Zealand, and Belgium
These passport holders can visit 190 countries without visas.
3. Sweden, South Korea, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Ireland, Finland, Denmark, and Austria
These passports give access to 191 countries without a visa.
2. Spain, Japan, Italy, Germany, and France
Holders of passports from Spain, Japan, Italy, Germany, and France can visit 192 countries without a visa.
1. Singapore
Travelers can visit 195 countries without a visa in 2024 if they have a passport from Singapore.
Zoe Rosenberg contributed to an earlier version of this report. This story was first published in January 2023 and updates were made in January 2024, June 2024, and October 2024.
The post The world’s most powerful passports in 2024, ranked appeared first on Business Insider.
