New Delhi: Do you realize that you may have the most powerful passport in the world without even realizing it? The global turmoil of recent years, caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s war against Ukraine, has changed the status of many countries around the world. This, of course, has had a major impact on the amount of information our passports can hold and where and how we can travel. With 2023 just getting started, Henley & Partners, a global citizenship and residency consultancy with offices in London, has released the Henley Passport Index for the year 2023 based on special data from the International Air Transport Association. The index covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations, providing users with the most comprehensive and reliable information on their global access and mobility. Each passport is scored on the total number of destinations the holder can access without a visa.
Also Read: World’s Strongest Passports List 2023: India Ranked 85th, Indians Can Travel Visa Free In THESE 59 Countries
This is how the passport score is calculated
The Henley Passport Index compares the visa-free entry of 199 different passports across 227 travel destinations. If no visa is required, a score with value = 1 is created for that passport. The same applies if you can get a visa on arrival, visitor permit or electronic travel authority (ETA) when entering the destination.
Where a visa is required, or where a passport holder must obtain a government-approved electronic visa (e-Visa) prior to travel, a score of value = 0 is assigned. This also applies if you need government approval for a visa on arrival before departure.
The total score per passport is equal to the number of destinations for which a visa is not required (value = 1).
The Henley Passport Index 2023 rankings are now out, with Japan claiming the top spot for the fifth year in a row. India ranks 85th on the Passport Index, indicating that Indian passport holders do not require a visa to enter 59 other countries. Afghanistan’s passport entered at number 109 with a visa-free score of 27, while Iraq’s passport came in at number 108 with a visa-free score of 29. Syria has a visa-free ranking of 107 and a score of 30. With a visa-free score of 32, Pakistan ranks fifth worst passport in the world, at number 106. Yemen ranks 105th with a score of 34 for visa-free travel.
Asia’s Strongest Passports – Here’s the list
| Country | Global rank | Visa-free score |
| Japan | 1 | 193 destinations |
| Singapore | 2 | 192 destinations |
| Israel | 25 | 159 destinations |
| Qatar | 55 | 100 destinations |
| Kuwait | 57 | 97 destinations |
| China |
66
|
80 destinations |
| India | 85 | 59 destinations |
| Sri Lanka | 100 | 42 destinations |
| bangladesh | 101 | 41 destinations |
| Nepal | 103 | 38 destinations |
| Yemen | 105 | 34 destinations |
| Pakistan | 106 | 32 destinations |
| Syria | 107 |
30 destinations |
| Iraq | 108 | 29 destinations |
| Afghanistan | 109 | 27 destinations |
China gives access to 80, the same as Bolivia. Russia’s is better, offering smooth access to 118 destinations, while Afghanistan’s remained the weakest, with only 27 destinations. than 1% of global economic output,” noted the Henley Passport Index website.
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