US passport falls in ranking, Asia becomes "new star" on the tourism map

(Dan Tri) - For the first time in 20 years, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 in the Henley Passport Index - a sign of a clear shift in the map of international travel and freedom of movement.

US passport "drops" out of top 10 for first time in 20 years

According to the latest Henley Passport Index ranking by Henley & Partners (UK-based residence and citizenship agency), the three most powerful passports in the world today all come from Asia.

Singapore leads with visa-free access to 193 destinations, South Korea ranks second with 190 destinations and Japan ranks third with 189 destinations.

Meanwhile, the US has dropped to 12th place, equal with Malaysia. Citizens of these two countries now enjoy visa-free entry to 180 of the 227 countries and territories tracked in the rankings.

The US passport is out of the top 10 most "powerful" passports in the world (Photo: Canva).

This is the first time the US has dropped out of the top 10 on this list. In addition, this ranking has many countries with the same score in the same rank. So in fact, there are 36 countries with more powerful passports than the US on the current list.

In 2014, the US held the number one spot on the list. Even as of July this year, the US passport is still in the top 10. However, a series of changes in visa policies of countries have caused the US to drop rapidly in the rankings.

Some of the main reasons include: Brazil canceling visa exemption for citizens of the US, Canada and Australia; China expanding visa exemption for dozens of European countries, but the US is not on this list; Papua New Guinea and Myanmar adjusting their entry policies, helping other countries' passports to rise in the rankings.

Not only the US passport, but the UK passport - which topped the rankings in 2015 - also fell to its lowest position ever. In just 3 months, this country fell from 6th to 8th place.

Singapore tops the list with visa-free access to 193 destinations (Photo: Straits Times).

Meanwhile, China jumped from 94th in 2015 to 64th this year, gaining visa-free access to 37 more destinations. The UAE (United Arab Emirates) is said to have had the most impressive change: rising 34 places in 10 years, from 42nd to 8th.

At the top of the list, the top passports can travel to more than 190 destinations visa-free. At the bottom of the list, Afghanistan is ranked 106th, with visa-free access to just 24 destinations. Syria (26 destinations) and Iraq (29 destinations) are ranked 105th and 104th, respectively.

The gap between the strongest and weakest passport groups is widening, revealing stark disparities in international travel access and connectivity.

The decline of the US passport is not only a story about visas but also reflects the shifting trend of global tourist flows, as countries with open-door policies and favorable entry procedures are increasingly becoming attractive destinations.

Notably, Asia – especially Singapore, South Korea and Japan – is emerging as dynamic travel hubs, leading the trend of free movement in the new era.

The most powerful passports in 2025 according to the Henley Passport Index:

1. Singapore (193 destinations)

2. South Korea (190)

3. Japan (189)

4. Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland (188)

5. Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Netherlands (187)

6. Greece, Hungary, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Sweden (186)

7. Australia, Czech Republic, Malta, Poland (185)

8. Croatia, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, UAE, UK (184)

9. Canada (183)

10. Latvia, Liechtenstein (182)

11. Iceland, Lithuania (181)

12. United States, Malaysia (180)

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/ho-chieu-my-tut-hang-chau-a-tro-thanh-ngoi-sao-moi-tren-ban-do-du-lich-20251015122621988.htm