Singapore reclaims top spot, India’s ranking drops, ET TravelWorld

Singapore has surged ahead to become the world’s most powerful passport holder in the 2025 Henley Passport Index, granting its citizens visa-free access to an unprecedented 195 destinations out of 227 globally. The city-state has broken away from last year’s shared top spot among six nations, reclaiming its crown and leaving Japan in the runner-up position with access to 193 destinations. Notably, Japan has regained visa-free access to China, marking a recovery post-Covid lockdown restrictions.

India’s ranking drops
India’s passport has been ranked 85th on the latest Henley Passport Index, which gives visa-free access to 57 countries around the world. Since India now offers visa-free access to fewer countries compared to the last few years, there has been a drop in the Indian passport’s ranking from last year, when it was ranked 80th on the Index when the Indian Passport had visa-free access to 60 countries. India’s Passport on the Henley Index was ranked 84th in 2023 and 83rd in 2022. (with visa-free access to 60 countries).

European powerhouses lose ground
Several European nations, including France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, dropped two spots to 3rd place, sharing the rank with Finland and South Korea. All these nations now allow visa-free travel to 192 destinations. Meanwhile, a group of seven European Union members, including Austria and Denmark, occupies the 4th position with 191 destinations. The United Kingdom, which once topped the rankings in 2015, is now in 5th place alongside Belgium and New Zealand, offering access to 190 destinations.

UAE breaks into top 10, US falls further
The UAE, a significant climber over the past decade, secured its place in the top 10 for the first time, offering access to 185 destinations. Conversely, the United States continues its downward trajectory, falling seven spots over the last decade to rank 9th, with access to 186 destinations. Analysts attribute this to inward-looking policies and isolationist political trends.

Mobility disparity reaches record high
At the bottom of the index, Afghanistan remains firmly entrenched, with its passport holders granted visa-free access to only 26 destinations. This creates a record mobility gap, as Afghan nationals have 169 fewer visa-free travel options compared to Singaporeans.

China’s Global ascent
China has risen significantly, climbing from 94th place in 2015 to 60th in 2025. Over the past year, China granted visa-free access to 29 additional countries and now permits entry from a total of 58 nationalities. This trend highlights China’s growing openness and contrasts with the United States, which allows visa-free access to only 46 nationalities.Insights into travel & migration trends
Visa Racism: African nations face disproportionately high Schengen visa rejection rates. Half of African applicants are denied, compared to a global average rejection rate of 16 per cent. Guinea-Bissau and Ghana feature among the top 10 countries with the highest rejection rates.

Rise in Second Citizenship Applications: US nationals lead in second citizenship applications, constituting 21% of all investment migration program applicants in 2024. This reflects increasing political and economic volatility concerns.

Digital Border Control Expansion: 2025 marks the introduction of Europe’s long-anticipated ETIAS and the UK’s expanded ETA system, revolutionizing travel processes with digital border systems.

Economic & political shifts on the horizon
The re-election of Donald Trump as the new US President is expected to introduce a fresh wave of trade disputes and travel bans, further undermining US mobility. Experts warn this could exacerbate geopolitical tensions and diminish confidence in US global mobility standing.