Singapore Passport is Once Again the Most Powerful in the World

Singapore has reclaimed its title as the world’s most powerful passport, according to the latest Henley Passport Index released today. Breaking away from a six-country tie at the top, Singapore now holds a record score, granting its citizens visa-free access to 195 destinations out of 227 worldwide.

France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain have dropped to joint-2nd place, each with visa-free access to 192 destinations. An unprecedented seven-nation group, including Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, and Sweden, now occupies 3rd place with visa-free access to 191 destinations. These rankings are based on exclusive and official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The UK maintains its 4th place position, joined by Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, and Switzerland, each with a visa-free score of 190. The US continues its decade-long decline, now ranking 8th with access to 186 destinations. Notably, the UK and US jointly held the top spot in 2014. Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the index, offering visa-free access to only 26 countries, the lowest score in the index’s 19-year history.

Global Passport Trends and Shifts

IATA forecasts that airlines will connect nearly 5 billion people across 22,000 routes on 39 million flights in 2024. Despite this growth, IATA Director General Willie Walsh notes that profit margins remain tight.

The UAE has made a significant leap into the Top 10 for the first time, now holding 9th place with a visa-free score of 185. This marks a remarkable rise of 53 places since the index’s inception in 2006, making the UAE the biggest climber. Conversely, Venezuela has experienced the steepest decline over the past decade, dropping 17 places from 25th to 42nd. The country faces decisive presidential elections on July 28, which could impact the lives of over seven million Venezuelans who have fled in the last ten years.

In the Henley Global Mobility Report’s July 2024 edition, Annie Pforzheimer, a former US State Department diplomat and senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, highlighted concerns among American business groups in immigration- and tourism-dependent industries about the upcoming US election.

Schengen Visa Rejections in Africa

New research published in the report by Prof. Mehari Taddele Maru of the European University Institute and Johns Hopkins University reveals high Schengen visa rejection rates for African applicants. Approximately 30% of African Schengen visa applicants are rejected, compared to 10% worldwide, despite Africa having the lowest number of visa applications per capita. The study also found that poorer African countries face higher rejection rates.

These findings underscore ongoing challenges and disparities in global mobility, as highlighted by the Henley Passport Index and accompanying research.