Henley & Partners: APAC Dominates Passport League Table
Global mobility firm Henley & Partners released its 2026 passport index with Asia Pacific countries dominating the top positions for visa-free travel.
Singapore retained its position as the world’s most powerful passport with access to 192 destinations visa-free, according to the Henley Passport Index 2026.
Overall, Asia Pacific countries dominated the top of the leaderboard with Japan and South Korea tied for second place, New Zealand in sixth place, Australia in seventh place and Malaysia in ninth place.
China Climbs High in a Decade
Leaders aside, Asian countries are also making steep improvements with China being a notable climber, rising 28 ranks over the past 10 years from 87th to 59th place and adding 31 destinations to a total of 141 countries that its citizens can now visit without a prior visa.
«Today, passport privilege plays a decisive role in shaping opportunity, security, and economic participation, with rising average access masking a reality in which mobility advantages are increasingly concentrated among the world’s most economically powerful and politically stable nations,» said Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, chairman at Henley & Partners and creator of the Henley Passport Index.
