World's most powerful passports 2018

Japan has knocked Germany off top spot on the list of the world's most powerful passport, according to new research, while the UK has fallen from third to fourth. 

The ranking by Henley & Partners, a citizenship and planning firm, takes into account how many countries can be visited without applying for a visa. Japanese citizens can travel to a record 189 out of a possible 218, most recently Uzbekistan, while Germans can visit 188 and Britons 186. 

The latest research highlights the growth of visa-free travel in Asia, thanks to up to 40 visa-waiver agreements signed by governments since the beginning of the year. 

Ranking Nation Score
1 Japan 180
2 Singapore 179

Germany 179
3 Finland 178

France 178

Italy 178

Spain 178

Denmark 178

Sweden 178

South Korea 178
4 Austria 177

Portugal 177

Luxembourg 177

Netherlands 177

United Kingdom 177

Norway 177
5 Ireland 176

Canada 176

Switzerland 176

United States 176
6 Belgium 174

Australia 174

Greece 174
7 New Zealand 173

Malta 173

Czech Republic 173
8 Iceland 172
9 Hungary 171
10 Latvia 170

While Schengen Area countries have traditionally topped the index as a result of their open access to Europe, developed Asian nations have been able to secure equally high scores in recent years thanks to their strong international trade and diplomatic relations, the report says. 

The UAE, in 23rd, is the fastest climber, ascending 38 places since 2008 after securing more visa exemptions for its citizens in 2018 than any other country in the world.

At a glance | The world's least powerful passports

Territory Countries that can be visited visa-free
Afghanistan 30
Iraq 30
Syria 32
Somalia 32
Pakistan 33
Yemen 37
Palestinian Territories 39
Eritrea 39
Sudan 39
Nepal 40
Libya 41
Lebanon 41
Bangladesh 41
South Sudan 41
Ethiopia 42
Sri Lanka 42
Iran 43
North Korea 43
Democratic Republic of Congo 43
Kosovo 44
Djibouti 45
Burundi 46

The UK topped the 2015 rankings, alongside Germany, but ceded that spot after several countries relaxed travel restrictions to the latter. It was leapfrogged by Sweden in 2016, and then Denmark, Finland, Italy and Spain in 2017, but now sits in fourth alongside Norway, Austria, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Portugal. 

2017 saw Belarus offer British citizens visa-free entry, Kazakhstan and Vietnam renew their visa-free arrangements with the UK, and Ethiopia offer a new e-visa option, helping boost the UK's overall position. 

Afghanistan and Iraq prop up the table. Their passport holders can only enter 30 countries without a visa, just behind Syria and Somalia, who each have just 32 accessible countries on their list. 
Overall, 143 countries saw the power of their passport improve over the course of 2017, while seven countries saw visa-free access reduced.

Among the biggest climbers for the first quarter of 2018 were Georgia (111 visa-free countries, up from 99), Ukraine (128, up from 114), China (70, up from 60), and Indonesia (71, up from 63). 

"As the world economy has become increasingly globalized, the need for greater visa-free access has grown steadily," said the report. "Across the economic spectrum, individuals want to transcend the constraints imposed on them by their country of origin and access business, financial, career, and lifestyle opportunities on a global scale."
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