Powerful Passport List: France has topped the Henley Passport Index 2024. Chinese passport has performed better in the index this year compared to last year. Like last year, Pakistan’s passport is at 106th position this year too. At the same time, India’s ranking has declined.
World’s most powerful passport list: Henley Passport Index 2024 has been released in which France has secured the top position. French passport holders can travel to 194 countries without a visa. The strength of any country’s passport shows how influential it is in the world as a soft power. India has performed worse this year than last year in the Henley Passport Index and the Indian passport has slipped one place to 85th position.
How strong a country’s passport is is determined by the Henley Index based on visa free access. That is, the passport of the country whose passport can be used to travel to most countries without visa, is the strongest.
Which countries topped the Henley Passport Index?
France has topped the Henley Passport Index. Along with France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore and Spain are at the top position. Finland, South Korea and Sweden are at second place in Henley Passport Ranking with 193 visa free destinations. Austria is in third place with 192 visa free destinations.
India’s decline in ranking is shocking
India’s passport has slipped one place in 2024 compared to last year. India was ranked 84th in the Henley Passport Index last year, but this year it has come down to 85th position.
India’s decline in ranking is a bit surprising because last year, while Indian passport holders could travel visa free to 60 countries, this year the number of visa free countries has increased to 62.
Recently Iran has announced visa free entry for Indian tourists. Indian tourists can avail visa-free tourism in Iran for 15 days.
Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka are also among those countries which have announced visa free entry for Indians some time ago.
What is the ranking of Pakistan Maldives passport?
Talking about Pakistan’s ranking, like last year, this time too it is at 106th position. India’s neighboring country Bangladesh has also fallen one place from last year, from 101st to 102nd position.
The passport of India’s maritime neighbor Maldives remains as strong as before. Maldivian passport is ranked 58th and Maldivian passport holders can travel visa free to 96 countries.
Amazing strength in China’s passport, who is at the bottom?
China’s passport has performed very well in the Henley Passport Index. While China’s passport was at 66th position in the year 2023, this year it has come to 64th position with a jump of two points. China has given visa free entry to many European countries to revive their tourism after the Covid epidemic.
At the same time, America’s passport has also become stronger this year compared to last year. Last year America was at 7th place but this year it has come to 6th place.
Afghanistan remained at the bottom position in Henley passport ranking. Afghanistan is continuously lagging behind under Taliban rule and its passport is also performing the worst. Afghanistan’s passport is at the bottom i.e. 109th position with 28 visa free destinations.
How is ranking decided in Henley Passport Index?
It is written on the website of Henley Passport Index that they have data of last 19 years of passports of different countries.
It is written on the website, ‘The Henley Passport Index is the only index of its kind based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA). The index includes 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations.
According to the website, the index is updated monthly. The website claims that the Henley Passport Index is a benchmark for citizens and independent countries around the world when it comes to the strength of passports around the world.
Henley Passport Index data shows that there has been a significant change in global mobility in the last two decades. In the year 2006, people could travel visa free to an average of 58 countries, but this year this number has almost doubled to 111 countries.
