Last Updated: January 16, 2023, 07:44 IST
India, in the 2023 Henley Passport Index, landed at the 85th position with visa-free access to 59 countries. (Representational Image)
As per the ranking, Japan has the strongest passport in the world with visa-free access to 193 destinations for all holders.
London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm, Henley & Partners, recently released the official Henley Passport Index for 2023. According to the data from the company, Japan has the most powerful passport in the world, followed by Singapore and South Korea, both tied for second place. The Henley Passport Index is touted as the original and authoritative ranking of the world’s passports. The most powerful document is the one that offers the holder visa-free access, or visa on arrival, to the largest number of destinations in the world. For the past 18 years, the index has compared the access of different passports to travel destinations.
Henley & Partners get exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which is enhanced by their in-house research team. The passport of a country gets a score of 1 for every destination where the holder can travel visa-free or obtain a visa on arrival, get a visitor’s permit, or receive an electronic travel authority (ETA) when entering. On the other hand, if a visa is required, or a passport holder must get a government-approved e-Visa before departure, a score with value = 0 is awarded. This also applies if a person needs pre-departure government approval for a visa on arrival.
As per the ranking, Japan has the strongest passport in the world with visa-free access to 193 destinations for all holders. Singapore and South Korea finished a close second, with their passport holders being able to travel visa hassle-free to 192 places. Germany and Spain’s passports offer access to 190 destinations while those of Finland, Italy, and Luxembourg allow their holders to go to 189 destinations without a pre-approved visa.
India’s passport is ranked 85th out of 199 others. It offers visa-free access to 59 countries. These include nations such as Argentina, Bhutan, Cambodia, Chile, Egypt, Iran, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Qatar. Visa-free travel into a country or territory is allowed either when the two countries’ governments have an agreement regarding the same, or when the receiving country has unilaterally opened its borders to visitors without a pre-issued visa.
Read all the Latest Lifestyle News here
