Japan and Singapore jointly claim the top spot in the latest iteration of the Henley Passport Index, released by London-based global citizenship and r

These are the world’s most powerful passports

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2022-01-14 03:30:05

Japan and Singapore jointly claim the top spot in the latest iteration of the Henley Passport Index, released by London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners.

The report scores 199 countries’ passports on how many destinations holders can visit without needing to secure a visa in advance.

Japanese and Singaporean passport holders can, in theory, access 192 nations apiece visa-free, or by getting a visa on arrival.

However, in practice this number may be lower – the index isn’t taking into account temporary travel bans and restrictions imposed during the pandemic.

Based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the first passport index of 2022 ranked South Korea and Germany in second place (with a score of 190); Finland, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain in tied third place (with a score of 189); and Austria, Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Sweden in fourth place (with a score of 188). The latter three have all climbed one place since the last index.

The UK and the US have both risen a spot since the previous ranking and are now in sixth place, alongside Switzerland, Norway, Belgium and New Zealand.