World's Most Powerful Passport 2024 List Unveiled, Where Does India Stand?

The latest list of the World's most powerful passports has been unveiled. The London-headquartered passport ranker issues the list based on the exclusive data it receives from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA), which maintains the most extensive and precise database of travel information worldwide. The Henley Passport Index has ranked India in the 82nd spot, allowing Indian nationals visa-free entry to 58 international destinations India shares the 82nd spot alongside Senegal, and Tajikistan.

Which country has the most powerful passport in the world? 

The index also includes 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations and is considered the standard reference tool for global citizens and sovereign states when assessing where a passport ranks. The top spot was grabbed by Singapore, which allows its passport-holders visa-free access to 195 countries, meanwhile, France, Italy, Japan, and Spain are all placed in the second place, giving their respective passport holders visa-free access to 192 nations.
 

The third place was jointly shared by Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, and Sweden, all allowing visa-free access to 191 destinations. The United Kingdom is the fourth place, alongside New Zealand, Norway, Belgium, Denmark, and Switzerland. Australia and Portugal shared the fifth spot, while the United States dropped down to eighth place, with visa-free access to 186 countries. On the other hand, Pakistan is positioned at 100th, providing passport holders access to 33 countries. At the bottom of the list is Afghanistan with easy access to 26 destinations.

What does your country's passport ranking reflect?

At the heart of passport power lies an intricate web of visa waiver agreements between nations. These agreements are far more than diplomatic niceties — they are the lifeblood of global mobility and economic interconnectedness. Nations with higher visa-free scores tend to enjoy greater GDP per capita, increased foreign direct investment, and more robust international trade relationships, according to Henley and Partners report.

Over the past 18 years, the Emirates has catapulted its passport from a modest 62nd position on the Henley Passport Index to an impressive 9th place in the latest July 2024 ranking.