The Malaysian passport has once again made global headlines. In the Passport Index 2025 released by Arton Capital, Malaysia officially secured the third spot worldwide, a remarkable climb of seven positions from the previous year. With this achievement, Malaysian citizens now have visa-free access to 174 countries worldwide.
This ranking places Malaysia alongside 15 other advanced nations such as Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, Luxembourg, Italy, Denmark, Portugal, Switzerland, Greece, Austria, Norway, Ireland, and South Korea.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, through the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM), expressed pride in this milestone. In an official post on its Facebook page, JIM stated that the achievement reflects strong global trust and recognition of the security and credibility of Malaysia’s travel documents.
“This accomplishment reflects international confidence and recognition in the security of Malaysia’s travel documents,” JIM wrote in its statement.
Malaysia’s Position Among Other Countries
According to the latest ranking, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains in first place, granting access to 179 countries. Behind it, Singapore and Spain share the second position with access to 175 countries.
Malaysia stands in third place alongside 15 other countries with similar passport strength. With this ranking, Malaysia and Singapore are the only Southeast Asian nations to enter the global top three.
This achievement is especially noteworthy as Malaysia has surpassed several highly developed countries, including Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, which rank fourth, eighth, and ninth respectively.
Comparison with Other Indexes
It is important to note that the Passport Index published by Arton Capital differs from the Henley Passport Index, even though both serve as major global references for assessing passport strength.
In the latest Henley version, the Malaysian passport ranks 12th in the world, on par with the United States, granting visa-free access to 180 countries. Although their evaluation methodologies differ, both organizations agree that Malaysia’s passport is among the most respected and influential in the world.
Southeast Asia on the Global Map
From the Southeast Asian region, only a few countries have managed to secure top positions in the 2025 Passport Index.
Following Malaysia and Singapore, Brunei Darussalam ranks 15th globally, followed by Timor-Leste at 45th, Thailand at 51st, Indonesia at 54th, the Philippines at 64th, and Vietnam at 71st. Meanwhile, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar are placed at 72nd, 78th, and 83rd respectively.
