The index ranks 199 nations’ journey paperwork based mostly on the variety of nations their holders can journey visa-free after analyzing information from the Worldwide Air Transport Affiliation (IATA).
Pakistan‘s passport shares it spot with Yemen and ranks greater solely than Iraq (101), Syria (102), and Afghanistan (103), which stays unchanged from the earlier yr.
“Afghanistan stays firmly entrenched because the world’s weakest passport, dropping entry to yet one more vacation spot over the previous six months, leaving its residents with entry to solely 26 nations visa-free — the bottom rating ever recorded in historical past of the 19-year-old index,” a press launch acknowledged.
Different worst performing passport are Iran and Sudan at 94th rank, Eritrea at ninety fifth rank, North Korea at 96th rank, Bangladesh and Palestine at 97th rank, Libya and Nepal at 98th rank and Somalia at 99th rank.
India rank at 82nd place providing visa-free journey to 58 nations.
Singapore secured the highest spot as soon as once more, with its passport granting visa-free entry to a record-breaking 195 locations. Germany, Italy, Japan, France, and Spain tied for second place, every providing entry to 192 nations. Austria, Finland, Eire, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, and Sweden ranked third, offering visa-free entry to 191 locations.
The UK ranked fourth with Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, and Switzerland, permitting journey to 190 states. The US stood at eighth place, with entry to 186 locations.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) made its technique to the highest 10 for the primary time providing visa-free entry to 185 locations. Its rank jumped from 62nd to ninth place.
Henley & Companions CEO Juerg Steffen attributed the UAE’s “meteoric ascent” to “deliberate and concerted efforts by the Emirati authorities to place the UAE as a world hub for enterprise, tourism, and funding.”
“Our analysis has persistently proven a powerful correlation between a rustic’s visa-free rating and its financial prosperity. Nations with greater visa-free scores are inclined to take pleasure in larger GDP per capita, elevated overseas direct funding and extra sturdy worldwide commerce relationships,” the press launch additional acknowledged.
