What is the best passport to have? New rankings place US in record-low place
The United States dropped to a record-low spot in a new global passport ranking, while a tiny Asian nation now boasts the world’s most powerful travel document.
In the latest Henley Passport Index, the U.S. ranked in 12th place, falling out of the top 10 for the first time in 20 years.
Meanwhile, Singapore clinched the top spot, followed by two other Asian countries: South Korea and Japan. After these came Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain and Switzerland.
Notably, China has steadily risen in the rankings, though it still only placed 64th.
The updated index was published Oct. 14 by Henley & Partners, a global citizenship advisory firm, using data from the International Air Transport Association in addition to its own in-house research. It is recalibrated monthly to include data from 199 passports.
US slides in ranking
America’s historic decline in the index results from a series of changes restricting travel access.
For example, in April, Brazil revoked its visa-free access to U.S. citizens, triggered by non-mutual visa practices. The U.S. was also excluded from lists of nations granted visa-free access by China and Vietnam.
“The declining strength of the U.S. passport over the past decade is more than just a reshuffle in rankings,” Christian Kaelin, the chairman of Henley & Partners, said in a news release. “It signals a fundamental shift in global mobility and soft power dynamics. Nations that embrace openness and cooperation are surging ahead, while those resting on past privilege are being left behind.”
At the same time, the U.S. government only permits residents of 46 nations to enter the country without a visa, putting America in 77th place in the Henley Openness Index.
The U.S.’ drop in the index reflects the impact of its internal political decisions, resulting in a stricter travel environment. For example, President Donald Trump suspended the issuance of visas to people from a dozen countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East and imposed restrictions on seven more.
“Even before a second Trump presidency, US policy had turned inward,” Annie Pforzheimer, a senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said. “That isolationist mindset is now being reflected in America’s loss of passport power.”
As U.S. passport strength wanes, demand for secondary citizenship and residence has surged to record levels, with Henley & Partners reporting that Americans now lead global applications for investment migration programs this year.
China’s rise
In contrast, China has steadily risen in the Henley Passport Index rankings in the past 10 years, climbing from 94th in 2015 to 64th place in 2025.
It has also ascended to 65th place in the Henley Openness Index, providing visa-free access to 30 more countries than the U.S.
Recent policy changes — including the introduction of visa-free travel for Russian citizens and new agreements with a host of other countries — highlight Beijing’s commitment to expanding openness.
“Trump’s return to power has brought fresh trade conflicts that weaken America’s mobility, while China’s strategic openness boosts its global influence,” Tim Klatte, a partner at Grant Thornton China, said in the release. “These diverging paths will reshape economic and travel dynamics worldwide.”
This story was originally published October 16, 2025 at 2:43 PM with the headline "What is the best passport to have? New rankings place US in record-low place."