The cover of a U.S. passport is displayed in Tigard, Oregon, Dec. 11, 2021. Photo by AP
The U.S. passport has risen one place to 11th in the latest Henley Passport Index, granting visa-free access to 180 of 227 destinations worldwide, but it remains less powerful than Malaysia’s passport.
Malaysia tied with the U.S. at 12th place in the index’s October version but the former climbed two places in the December ranking, marking its return to the top 10 after seven years.
Holders of Malaysian passports are able to enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 181 destinations worldwide, according to the update of the index created by the London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners.
The U.S. held the number one ranking in 2014 but has experienced steady decline in passport strength since then.
The decline in U.S. passport power seems to be attributable to a lack of reciprocation in visa-free travel, according to how Henley & Partners’ calculates its rankings, which also looks at imbalances, Newsweek reported.
Insiders have panned the U.S.’s tougher visa policies as discouraging to visitors, CNN reported.
The Henley Passport Index tracks global travel freedom across 227 countries and territories, using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
It ranks 199 passports based on the number of destinations their holders can enter without obtaining a visa in advance. Updated regularly throughout the year to reflect changes in visa policies, the index is widely regarded as a key measure of global mobility.
Singapore continues holding the title of the world’s most powerful passport, allowing visa-free entry to 193 destinations, followed by South Korea and Japan.
The five weakest passports belong to Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan.
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