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World's most powerful (and weakest) passports for 2022

World's most powerful (and weakest) passports for 2022
Passport illustration © unsplash.com

According to a new quarterly report produced by London-based global citizenship and residence advice business Henley & Partners, a trio of Asian passports provides their holders with greater worldwide travel freedom than those of any other country.

Japan has surpassed Singapore and South Korea in providing visa-free or visa-on-demand access to a record 193 places worldwide, compared to the other two leaders' 192.
However, due to Asia's more cautious reaction to Covid-19, those residents are less likely to be taking advantage of that travel flexibility than those in Europe or the Americas.

According to the current International Air Transport Association (IATA) statistics, international passenger demand for air travel in the Asia-Pacific area is still less than a quarter of pre-Covid levels.
Europe becomes supreme once more.

A slew of European countries is around the top of the leaderboard below the Asian top three. Germany and Spain both have 190 destinations, followed by Finland, Italy, and Luxembourg, all of which have 189.
Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden are all tied for the fifth rank, while France, Ireland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom are tied for sixth place.

New Zealand and the United States are ranked seventh, along with Belgium, Norway, and Switzerland.
Afghan nationals are once again at the bottom of the index, with access to only 27 countries without a visa.

Passport ranking 2022 | seasia.co
Passport ranking 2022 | seasia.co

However, as travel restrictions relax, there are encouraging indicators that lower-ranking passports are regaining clout.

According to the research, Indian passport holders now have similar travel flexibility as they did before the pandemic, with unlimited access to 57 destinations worldwide (compared just 23 destinations in 2020).

Russian passport holders are more isolated from the rest of the world than ever before as a result of the invasion of Ukraine.

The ranking does not account for temporary limitations or airspace closures, therefore while the Russian passport is now ranked 50th on the index, with a visa-free or visa-free on arrival score of 119, Russian citizens are functionally prevented from visiting many of those destinations.

The weakest passports in July 2022

Visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 40 or fewer countries is available in some nations across the world. These are some examples:

North Korea (105). (40 destinations)

Nepal and Palestinian territory (38 destinations)

Somalia (107). (35 destinations)

108. Yemen (34 destinations)

Pakistan (109). (32 destinations)

110. Syria (30 destinations)

111. Iraq (29 destinations)

Afghanistan (112th) (27 destinations)


The index produced by Henley & Partners is one of several created by financial firms to rate worldwide passports based on the access they provide to its residents.

The Henley Passport Index assesses 199 passports based on the number of visa-free places to which its holders have access. Throughout the year, it is updated in real time as visa policy changes take effect.

The passports of 193 United Nations member countries and six territories are considered in Arton Capital's Passport Index: ROC Taiwan, Macau (SAR China), Hong Kong (SAR China), Kosovo, Palestinian Territory, and the Vatican. Territories annexed by other countries are not eligible.

The United Arab Emirates is ranked first in its 2022 rating, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 171.

Akhyari Hananto

I began my career in the banking industry in 1997, and stayed approx 6 years in it. This industry boost his knowledge about the economic condition in Indonesia, both macro and micro, and how to More understand it. My banking career continued in Yogyakarta when I joined in a program funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB),as the coordinator for a program aimed to help improve the quality of learning and teaching process in private universities in Yogyakarta. When the earthquake stroke Yogyakarta, I chose to join an international NGO working in the area of ?disaster response and management, which allows me to help rebuild the city, as well as other disaster-stricken area in Indonesia. I went on to become the coordinator for emergency response in the Asia Pacific region. Then I was assigned for 1 year in Cambodia, as a country coordinator mostly to deliver developmental programs (water and sanitation, education, livelihood). In 2009, he continued his career as a protocol and HR officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya, and two years later I joined the Political and Economic Section until now, where i have to deal with extensive range of people and government officials, as well as private and government institution troughout eastern Indonesia. I am the founder and Editor-in-Chief in Good News From Indonesia (GNFI), a growing and influential social media movement, and was selected as one of The Most Influential Netizen 2011 by The Marketeers magazine. I also wrote a book on "Fundamentals of Disaster Management in 2007"?, "Good News From Indonesia : Beragam Prestasi Anak Bangsa di dunia"? which was luanched in August 2013, and "Indonesia Bersyukur"? which is launched in Sept 2013. In 2014, 3 books were released in which i was one of the writer; "Indonesia Pelangi Dunia"?, "Indonesia The Untold Stories"? and "Growing! Meretas Jalan Kejayaan" I give lectures to students in lectures nationwide, sharing on full range of issues, from economy, to diplomacy Less
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