Oct. 15, 2025
•
3 min read
The US no longer ranks among the world’s 10 most powerful passports
Editor’s Note
This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.
The U.S. no longer ranks among the world’s 10 most powerful passports — a first in the 20-year history of the Henley Passport Index.
Henley & Partners, a London-based residence and citizenship advisory firm, issues a quarterly report scoring passports by the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. In the most recent ranking of 199 national passports, the U.S. passport slid down two more spots into 12th place, tying with Malaysia. The U.S. last held the No. 1 spot in 2014.
According to International Air Transport Association data compiled by Henley & Partners, American passport holders can visit 79% of the world without a visa, or 180 of 227 destinations globally. The U.S.’s drop in rankings is due to several factors. Brazil revoked visa-free access for Americans this April due to a lack of reciprocity. (For context, the U.S. allows visa-free access to 46 countries.) Meanwhile, China and Vietnam expanded visa-free access to some nations, but not the U.S.
The 10 most powerful passports in the world
Singapore holds the title of the world’s strongest passport for the second consecutive year, with visa-free access to 193 of 227 destinations globally.
South Korea placed second this year for the fifth year in a row (providing visa-free entry to 190 countries). It is followed by Japan in third place, with access to 189 countries without a visa.
Rounding out the top 10 most powerful passports are:
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- No. 4: Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain and Switzerland (188 visa-free countries)
- No. 5: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland and the Netherlands (187 visa-free countries)
- No. 6: Greece, Hungary, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal and Sweden (186 visa-free countries)
- No. 7: Australia, Czech Republic, Malta and Poland (185 visa-free countries)
- No. 8: Croatia, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates and the U.K. (184 visa-free countries)
- No. 9: Canada (183 visa-free countries)
- No. 10: Latvia and Liechtenstein (182 visa-free countries)
Afghanistan remains the least powerful passport, providing visa-free access to just 24 destinations.
Related reading:
Featured image by GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel.
Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin’ Credit: With the $84 Dunkin’ Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
