India has fallen 5 spots in the world's most powerful passport ranking in 2025 and held the 85th position with visa-free access to 57 countries, according to the Henley Passport Index. India currently shares its rank with Equatorial Guinea and Niger.
The power of a country's passport is determined by how many countries one holder can visit without a visa or with a visa on arrival. In this ranking, Singapore is positioned at number one with visa-free access to 195 of the 227 global destinations followed by Japan with access to 193 countries without visa. Japan's visa-free access includes China for the first time since the pandemic.
EU member states of France, Germany, Italy and Spain all dropped two places to share third position after securing the number one position in 2024. Finland and South Korea joined them too with visa-free access in 2025 to 192 countries.
With visa-less entry to 191 destinations EU nations Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden—each are in fourth position.
By facilitating visa-free access to 190 destinations, Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland, the UK, and New Zealand also entered the top five.
The Fallers
India dropped from earlier 80th rank to 85th this year, with its travelers making most of its mobility, particularly in Asia and Middle East.
Over the past decade, the strength of the UK passport kept on diminishing from its number one position as well.
The US passport also dropped significantly to ninth position from its traditional first and second position a decade ago. At present, the US visa can provide entry to 186 destinations without a visa. The US is the second biggest faller after Venezuela, which is at 45th rank.
Meanwhile, Canada fell to seventh position from number fourth.
The Climbers
The UAE became the first and only Arab state to crack the top ten in the passport power index. It is also the biggest climber over the last decade. Since 201115, the UAE secured visa-free access to 72 more destination, climbing 32 places to round out the passport power top ten with 185 global destinations.
China rose to 80th position as compared 94th in the year 2015. It has also granted visa-free access to 29 new countries over the past year alone and now provides visa-free entry for 58 nations.
Poor Performing Countries
India’s neighboring country Pakistan ranked among the bottom five countries with Yemen at 104th position on the Henley Passport Index, each offering visa-free access to 33 destinations
Afghanistan remained at the bottom of the list, ranked 106th, with visa-free access to only 26 destinations.
