Tezzbuzz Desk- There is an important news related to passport for Indians planning to travel abroad. India's position in the Global Passport Ranking of 2026 has weakened compared to last year. Indian passport has slipped from 66th position to 73rd position. In this report, information related to India's mobility score and the strength of passports of other countries has come to light.
For how many countries is India's passport valid in 2026?
According to the new ranking, the mobility score of the Indian passport is 69. This means that Indian passport holders can travel to 25 countries without a visa, while 39 countries provide visa on arrival facility. At the same time, it is necessary to obtain a visa in advance to travel to 129 countries. There has been a decline of seven places in India's ranking this year. According to the report, India is at this position along with Zimbabwe, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Sao Tome and Principe and Vietnam.
What was India's ranking last year?
In 2025, India was ranked 66th and its mobility score was 73. At that time, Indian passport holders could get visa on arrival in 44 countries. This year the score has come down to 69. The change in ranking may impact the travel plans of people who want to travel to countries without visas or with easy visa procedures. However, entry rules may vary from country to country and it is important to check the official information of the country concerned before travelling.
UAE's passport becomes the world's most powerful
The passport of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is at first place in the global passport ranking. Its mobility score is 181. UAE citizens can travel to 138 countries without a visa and 43 countries with a visa on arrival. Only for 17 countries they have to obtain visa in advance. At the same time, Afghanistan's passport is at the bottom in the ranking. It is at 99th position. Citizens of Afghanistan can travel to 6 countries without visa and 29 countries with visa on arrival. They have to obtain visa in advance for 163 countries.
What did the government say on passport ranking?
Amidst the decline in the ranking of Indian passport, the Central Government has raised questions on the global passport ranking issued by private institutions. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh had said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on July 31 that the government is aware of some ratings which are published by private institutions on the basis of their own set parameters. He also said that there is a lack of globally accepted criteria to rank passports. Therefore, no single ranking system can be considered a global standard.
What does this mean for Indians?
The ranking of passports gives an indication of the travel facilities available to the citizens of a country. India's decline in the 2026 ranking means that access to visa-free or easy visa travel for Indian passport holders has declined compared to last year, depending on the countries included in the report.
However, the strength of a passport is not determined by ranking alone. Before travelling, it is important to know about the visa rules, validity of passport and entry conditions of the concerned country.