Trump-effect: US slips from top 10 in Henley Passport Index after 20 years

Henley Passport Index 2025: For the first time in 20 years, the US passport has slipped out of the world's top 10, with Singapore, South Korea and Japan leading the 2025 ranking

For the first time in 20 years, the United States has fallen out of the world’s top 10 most powerful passports, according to the latest Henley Passport Index.

 

The quarterly ranking by London-based Henley & Partners places the US in 12th position, tied with Malaysia, granting visa-free access to 180 of 227 destinations. In 2014, Americans held the No.1 passport, and as recently as July this year, it was still in the top 10.

 

What makes a passport “powerful”?

 

A passport’s strength depends on how freely its holders can travel — how many countries allow entry without a visa. The 2025 Henley Passport Index, based on data from the International Air Transport Association, puts Singapore in first place with visa-free access to 193 destinations, followed by South Korea with 190 and Japan with 189.

 

 

Why has the US slipped in the Henley Passport Index rankings?

 

Several countries have revised entry rules this year, shifting the balance of mobility. Brazil reintroduced visa requirements for citizens from the US, Canada and Australia, citing a lack of reciprocity. Papua New Guinea and Myanmar also adjusted their visa policies, improving other nations’ positions at the expense of the US.

 

China, meanwhile, has extended visa-free travel to European nations such as France and Germany but not to the US. Vietnam left the US off its latest visa-free list, and Somalia’s new eVisa programme has further reshuffled regional rankings.

 

“The declining strength of the US passport over the past decade is more than just a reshuffle in rankings — it signals a fundamental shift in global mobility and soft power dynamics,” said Christian H. Kaelin, chair of Henley & Partners. “Nations that embrace openness and cooperation are surging ahead, while those resting on past privilege are being left behind.”

 

Washington’s new $250 “visa integrity fee,” which applies to all visitors requiring non-immigrant visas, could make reciprocal arrangements less likely. This could add another layer of cost that discourages countries from easing their own entry rules for American citizens.

 

The World Travel and Tourism Council, a global tourism advocacy organisation, projected in May that the United States will lose $12.5 billion in international visitor spending in 2025, the only country out of 184 economies the council analysed that will see a decline this year.

 

“This is a wake-up call for the US government. The world’s biggest Travel & Tourism economy is heading in the wrong direction, not because of a lack of demand, but because of a failure to act,” Julia Simpson, World Travel and Tourism Council president & CEO, had said in a statement.

 

“While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the ‘closed’ sign … This is about growth in the U.S. economy — it is doable, but it needs leadership from DC,” Simpson said.

 

How have other countries performed?

 

While the US and the UK have lost ground, others have gained. The UK passport, which topped the index in 2015, has now fallen to its lowest-ever ranking — eighth place. China has risen from 94th in 2015 to 64th this year, adding 37 visa-free destinations through deals with Russia, Gulf states, South America and parts of Europe.

 

The UAE remains one of the strongest climbers, rising from 42nd to eighth in just a decade, reflecting its growing network of travel agreements.

 

The world’s most powerful passports in 2025

 

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, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom: 184

9. Canada: 183

10. Latvia, Liechtenstein: 182

11. Iceland, Lithuania: 181

12. United States, Malaysia: 180