Top 10 world’s most powerful passports in 2026: Where does India stand on the Henley Index?

When it comes to travelling carefree from one country to another, not all passports are equal. Some passports let their holders visit many countries without a visa and enjoy shorter lines at border control. A recent report by the Henley Passport Index shows which countries currently have the strongest passports.

Top 10: World’s most powerful passports

At the very top is Singapore, holding the No. 1 spot. Singaporeans can travel to 192 countries and territories without needing a visa. Right behind are Japan and South Korea, which are tied at No. 2, with access to 188 destinations. Henley counts countries with the same score as sharing the same ranking. That’s why Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland all share No. 3, each of which allows visa-free travel to 186 countries and territories.

European countries dominate the second half. No. 4 on the list goes to Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Norway, each of which has visa-free access to 185 countries.

Fifth place, with 184 destinations, is shared by Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The UAE has been one of the biggest climbers in the Henley Passport Index over the past 20 years. Since 2006, it has added 149 visa-free destinations and climbed 57 spots in the rankings. The report credits this rise to the UAE’s “sustained diplomatic engagement and visa liberalisation.”

The UK has lost ground recently, now allowing visa-free travel to 182 destinations, eight less than last year. The US briefly dropped out of the top 10 in late 2025 and has lost access to seven destinations in the past year. Over 20 years, it fell from fourth to tenth, one of the largest declines after Venezuela and Vanuatu.)

India’s passport strength

The Indian passport has seen ups and downs over the years. In 2026, it ranks 80th, moving up five spots from last year. Indian citizens can now travel to 55 countries without a visa, showing a slow but steady improvement after years of stagnation in the lower 80s.

The weakest passports

At the bottom of the index:

• No. 101: Afghanistan, visa-free access to just 24 destinations
• No. 100: Syria (26 destinations)
• No. 99: Iraq (29 destinations)

There is a huge gap of 168 destinations between the strongest and weakest passports.