Singapore has world’s most powerful passport after unseating Europeans

Singapore edged past France, Germany, Italy and Spain to reclaim bragging rights as having the world’s most powerful passport.

Having a Singapore passport means getting visa-free entry to a record 195 global destinations, putting the city state at the top on the Henley Passport Index. The four European countries, which held the No. 1 spot earlier in the year, are now in second place along with Japan.

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Seven nations take the third spot for the first time. Passport holders from Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea and Sweden can enter 191 places hassle-free.

The ranking, published by London-based immigration consultancy Henley & Partners, uses data from the International Air Transport Association to rank 199 passports’ access to 227 travel destinations.

“The ability to travel visa-free to a wide array of destinations is no longer merely a convenience,” said Henley’s Chief Executive Officer Juerg Steffen. “It’s a powerful economic tool that can drive growth, foster international cooperation, and attract foreign investment.”

The US dropped one spot to eight place, extending its decade-long slide down the index. The former passport powerhouse held a joint first place with the UK a decade ago. The UK now ranks fourth.

Afghanistan’s travel document, which allows visa-free entry to 26 destinations, remains the world’s weakest.

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