According to the index, Malaysia, Southeast Asia’s third-richest country by GDP per capita, shared the seventh place with Australia, Canada, Czechia, Latvia, New Zealand, Slovakia and Slovenia, with passport holders of these countries enjoying visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 183 destinations.
Within Southeast Asia, Malaysia remained the region’s second most powerful passport, behind Singapore, which topped the global ranking with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 192 destinations.
Malaysian passports. Photo courtesy of the official portal of the Sarawak government |
Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) shared second place, followed by Sweden in third.
Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, Thailand ranked 63rd with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 77 destinations, followed by Indonesia in 68th with access to 70 destinations, the Philippines in 72nd with 65 destinations, Vietnam in 87th, Cambodia in 88th, Laos in 89th and Myanmar in 91st.
According to Malaysia’s Immigration Department, the passport’s high ranking reflects the country’s strong international reputation and the trust it enjoys worldwide, the New Straits Times reported.
Malaysia began issuing its new passport on July 15. Under the new system, Malaysians aged 18 and above can choose between a five-year passport costing RM200 (US$49) and a 10-year passport priced at RM350.
More than 30,000 of the new passports have been issued, including 23,491 for the five-year version, The Star 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.
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