New Delhi: The Henley Passport Index 2021 put Japan’s passport on the top of the most powerful passport in 2021 list. The USA, the UK, New Zealand and Switzerland’s passports are now the seventh most powerful passport in the world with a visa-free score of 185.
According to the latest report – Japanese citizens can travel to as many as 191 countries visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 191 destinations around the world. Singapore is in second place (with a score of 190) and South Korea ties with Germany in third place (with a score of 189).
Australia stands at the 8th position with a visa score of 184.
India ranks 85th in the most powerful passport report with a visa-free score of 58.
In 2020, Indian passport holders were able to travel in 58 countries Visa-free or on-arrival Visa.
In 2019, Indian passport holders were able to travel in 59 countries without visa or on-arrival Visa and passport rank was 82.
According to media reports Pakistan (rank 107) and Nepal (rank 104) continue to be in the ‘worst passports to hold’ category. Pakistan’s visa-free score is 32 and Nepal’s score is 38.
Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan continue to be the countries with the worst passport to hold with a passport score of 29, 28 and 26 respectively.
Henley and its partner company’s report said that “With the US and the UK still facing significant challenges related to the virus, and the passport strength of both countries continuing to “steadily erode”, the balance of power is shifting.”
The Chairman of leading residence and citizenship advisory firm Henley and Partners Dr. Christian H. Kaelin and the inventor of the passport index concept, says that the latest ranking provides an opportunity to reflect on the extraordinary upheaval that characterised 2020.
“The global lockdown negated these glowing projections, and as restrictions begin to lift, the results from the latest index are a reminder of what passport power really means in a world upended by the pandemic,” Kaelin added.
-Vinayak