The US passport drops to its lowest-ever position in global mobility rankings
The Indian passport has fallen to 85th place in the latest Henley Passport Index, marking a notable decline from its previous 77th position earlier this year. India now shares the 85th rank with Mauritania, offering visa-free access to 57 destinations, down from 59 countries earlier in 2024, reported gulfnews.com.
US passport falls out of top 10 for the first time in 20 years.
In a surprising shift, the United States passport has slipped to 12th place, marking the first time it has dropped out of the top 10 since the Henley Index was launched two decades ago. Once the world’s most powerful passport in 2014, the US document now offers visa-free access to 180 of 227 destinations, tied with Malaysia.
According to Henley & Partners, the decline in the US ranking stems from a series of access losses, including the revocation of visa-free entry to Brazil, exclusion from China’s expanding visa-free list, and recent access changes in Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, Somalia, and Vietnam.
The UK passport also saw a decline, falling from 6th to 8th place, despite its earlier reign as the top-ranked passport in 2015
Singapore, South Korea, and Japan dominate 2025 rankings
Leading the world in travel freedom are Singapore (193 destinations), South Korea (190), and Japan (189) — three Asian nations that continue to set the benchmark in global mobility.
China among biggest gainers over the decade
China’s passport has shown remarkable progress, climbing from 94th place in 2015 to 64th in 2025, gaining visa-free access to 37 additional destinations over the past decade. In the past year alone, China added 30 new visa-free countries, including Russia, Gulf nations, and several European states — part of Beijing’s broader strategy to enhance global openness and mobility.
“China’s diplomatic outreach and new visa agreements are reinforcing its position as a major player in global travel freedom, further strengthening the Asia-Pacific region’s dominance,” the report added.
