ISLAMABAD — The Pakistani passport has slipped further down the global mobility ladder, ranking 103rd in the latest Henley Passport Index released on Tuesday a noticeable decline from its previous 96th position.
According to the index, Pakistani passport holders now enjoy visa-free access to only 31 destinations, down from 32 earlier this year. The country now sits alongside Yemen, while only Iraq (104th with 29 destinations), Syria (105th with 26), and Afghanistan (106th with 24) fare worse.
The drop highlights Pakistan’s continuing struggle to expand global travel freedom for its citizens despite recent diplomatic efforts to improve international ties.
Asian Nations Lead the Pack
While Pakistan’s ranking slipped, several Asian countries continued to dominate the top of the index. Singapore once again claimed the top spot, offering visa-free access to 193 destinations, followed closely by South Korea (190) and Japan (189).
European nations such as Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, and Switzerland secured the fourth position with visa-free access to 188 countries, while Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, and the Netherlands rounded out the fifth spot with 187 destinations open to their citizens.
US Passport Falls Out of Global Top 10 for the First Time
For the first time in two decades, the United States passport has fallen out of the world’s top ten most powerful travel documents dropping to 12th place, tied with Malaysia, and offering access to 180 destinations out of 227.
Once a symbol of unmatched travel freedom, the US passport which topped the index in 2014 has steadily lost ground. The UK passport has also hit a record low, slipping from 6th to 8th position since July, despite having once shared the top spot in 2015.
According to Henley & Partners, this sharp decline in American passport strength stems from a “series of access setbacks,” including the loss of visa-free entry to Brazil, exclusion from China’s expanding visa-free list, and further downgrades from Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, and Vietnam. The report noted that these changes “collectively pushed the US out of the top 10 for the first time in history.”
Visa Reciprocity: The Missing Balance
While US citizens can enter 180 destinations without a visa, the US itself allows visa-free entry to only 46 nationalities one of the lowest reciprocity rates among developed countries.
“This imbalance between the freedom Americans enjoy abroad and the restrictions they impose at home is among the world’s widest,” the report stated, adding that similar gaps exist in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Japan. Interestingly, all five nations have either stagnated or declined in their passport power over the past decade.
Analyst Annie Pforzheimer of the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted, “Even before a potential second Trump presidency, US policy had already turned inward. That isolationist approach is now reflected in America’s diminishing passport power.”
Recent US travel policies have further strained global mobility including visa suspensions for 12 nations across Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, restrictions on seven others, and threats of bans on up to 36 more countries. A visa bond of $5,000–$15,000 now applies to seven African states, while a new $250 ‘visa integrity fee’ is set to impact most non-immigrant visa applicants. The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) fee also doubled on September 30, 2025, rising from $21 to $40.
China’s Passport Power on the Rise
In stark contrast, China has been one of the fastest climbers on the Henley Passport Index. Over the past decade, it has jumped from 94th place in 2015 to 64th in 2025, gaining visa-free access to 37 additional destinations.
Beijing’s latest push toward openness including new visa-free deals with Russia, as well as countries in the Gulf, South America, and Europe has reinforced China’s role as a “global mobility powerhouse,” according to the report.
“These strategic agreements reflect Beijing’s growing diplomatic influence,” it noted, “and further strengthen the Asia-Pacific region’s dominance in global travel freedom.”
