In today’s connected yet increasingly unpredictable world, a passport is more than just a travel document. It reflects a country’s diplomatic strength, economic stability, and global influence.
As 2025 unfolds, understanding passport power has never been more important, especially for individuals and organizations involved in international relocation, citizenship planning, or cross-border investment.
This year’s Global Passport Index presents a clear, data-driven view of how global mobility is shifting. Drawing from multiple respected indices, the 2025 global passport index report goes beyond rankings. It explores the political, economic, and social forces shaping passport value and travel freedom in real time.
Whether you're planning a move, evaluating citizenship options, or advising globally mobile clients, this report offers practical insights into what’s changing, what it means, and how to stay ahead in a fast-moving mobility landscape.
2025 Global Passport Landscape: A Multi-Index Perspective
Evaluating the strength of a passport in 2025 requires looking beyond a single list. This year’s Global Passport Index draws on several respected sources, each with its own way of measuring travel freedom.
Among the leading authorities are the Henley Passport Index, the VisaGuide Passport Index, Arton Capital’s Passport Index, and the Nomad Capitalist Passport Index.
Each takes a slightly different approach. Some focus strictly on visa-free access, while others weigh in factors like economic stability, perception, or taxation.
Together, they offer a more rounded picture of which passports are rising, which are slipping, and why.
Top Performing Passports of 2025
In 2025, the concept of passport power goes beyond simple visa access. Multiple indices now evaluate not just where you can go but also how meaningful that access is and what kind of freedom your citizenship affords.
Singapore remains the undisputed leader in mobility, topping both the Henley and the VisaGuide Index. With visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 195 countries, Singaporeans enjoy the world’s widest travel freedom, but the story doesn’t end there.
Japan continues to hold strong in second place, having regained key access to China post-COVID. Meanwhile, European nations dominate the next tiers, with countries like Finland, France, Germany, and Italy tied at third.
These nations not only offer broad mobility but also rank highly in economic relevance and global reputation, key drivers of the Destination Significance Score (DSS) used by VisaGuide.
But mobility isn't just about travel. The Nomad Capitalist Passport Index adds a broader lens, evaluating taxation, personal freedom, dual citizenship, and perception — factors increasingly relevant for globally mobile individuals, investors, and entrepreneurs.
Under this model, Ireland claims the top spot for 2025, thanks to its tax-friendly structure, EU-UK access, and strong global image. Switzerland, Portugal, and Luxembourg also feature prominently, reflecting their strategic appeal for international residents.
To better understand how different countries perform across these methodologies, the table below compares the top-ranked passports across the three leading indices: Henley, VisaGuide, and Nomad Capitalist.
Significant Climbers and Fallers in 2025
This year’s rankings reflect a shifting geopolitical climate. The United States, once at the top of most passport rankings, has now slipped to ninth place on the Henley Index, with visa-free access to 186 destinations.
A decade ago, it regularly held first or second. The UK, which led in 2015, now sits in fifth. Both countries have seen their mobility decline, driven in part by inward-facing policies and shifting international alliances.
Meanwhile, China has made notable progress. In 2015, its passport ranked 94th. Today, it’s in the 60s, offering visa-free access to 40 more destinations than it did a decade ago. China has also expanded access to its own borders, granting visa-free entry to 58 countries, compared to 46 in the US.
The UAE is another major climber. Since 2015, it has added 72 destinations to its list, reaching 185 visa-free countries and securing a spot in the global top ten. India, on the other hand, has slipped five positions and now ranks 85th on the Henley Index, with access to just 57 countries.
Data from Arton Capital also highlights several smaller countries making quiet gains. Guyana, Nicaragua, Oman, Bahrain, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia each saw a 2-point increase in mobility scores. A 1-point bump was recorded for a longer list of countries, including Senegal, Fiji, Mauritius, Hong Kong, South Africa, and Jamaica.
But not all countries moved upward. Lebanon, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Haiti, Costa Rica, Moldova, Pakistan, and others saw minor declines, many dropping by just one point, but in global mobility, even a small dip can impact a passport’s overall standing.
The Bottom Tier: Weakest Passports of 2025
At the bottom of the global mobility ladder, several passports continue to face tight restrictions. Afghanistan ranks last on the Henley Index, with visa-free access to just 26 countries.
Syria and Iraq fare only slightly better, offering access to 27 and 31 destinations, respectively. Yemen and Pakistan, tied at 103rd, provide visa-free access to 33 destinations each.
VisaGuide’s rankings echo this, placing Afghanistan at the bottom with a score of just 9.46. Sudan, Pakistan, Syria, and Somalia follow close behind. Limited access from these countries is largely due to political instability, war, economic turmoil, and weak diplomatic ties, factors that continue to limit international mobility and trust.
Methodologies Driving Passport Rankings in 2025
The variations in passport rankings across different indices illustrate the value of understanding their underlying methodologies.
Each index employs a distinct approach to quantify global mobility.
Henley Passport Index Methodology
The Henley Passport Index is recognised as an authoritative ranking based on exclusive online data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the largest and most accurate travel information database. ⁹
Its methodology assigns a score of 1 if a passport holder can access a destination without a prior visa, including visa on arrival (VOA) or an electronic travel authority (ETA). ⁹
Conversely, if a visa is required, or if a government-approved electronic visa (e-Visa) must be obtained before departure, a score of 0 is assigned. ⁹ The index compares the visa-free access of 199 different passports to 227 travel destinations. ⁹
VisaGuide Passport Index Methodology
The VisaGuide Passport Index distinguishes itself by aiming for a unique ranking for every passport, achieved through its proprietary Destination Significance Score (DSS). ⁴
The DSS is a composite value assigned to each travel destination, incorporating factors such as the entry policy enforced on the passport, the destination country's GDP, Power Index, Tourism Index, and Human Development Index (HDI). ⁴
The calculation of a passport's strength involves multiplying the DSS of each destination by a specific value based on the entry visa requirement:
- Visa-Free Travel: DSS × 1.4
- Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA): DSS × 1.4
- Visa on Arrival (VOA): DSS × 0.8⁴
- Electronic Visa (e-Visa): DSS × 0.3⁴
- Embassy or other government-approved visas: DSS × 0⁴
- Passport-Free Travel: DSS × 1.01⁴
- Banned Entry: DSS × -0.5⁴
This nuanced approach ensures that visa-free access to a high-DSS destination contributes more value to a passport than access to a low-DSS country, providing a more precise measure of global travel freedom. ⁴
The index covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations, with data continuously updated by a dedicated research team. ⁴
Arton Capital Passport Index Methodology
The Passport Index, invented and powered by Arton Capital, is an interactive, real-time global ranking of passports, updated as new visa waivers and changes are implemented. ¹⁰
Its primary ranking, the Global Passport Power Rank, sorts passports by their Mobility Score (MS), which includes visa-free, visa on arrival, ETA, and eVisa if obtainable in less than 3 working days. ¹¹
The index also offers unique alternative systems:
- Individual Passport Power Rank
- Global Passport Landpower Rank (based on the total accessible landmass)
- Welcoming Countries Rank¹⁰
The methodology considers passports from 193 United Nations member countries and six territories, totalling 199. ⁴
Nomad Capitalist Passport Index Methodology
The Nomad Capitalist Passport Index takes a broader perspective on passport strength, evaluating nationalities based on five distinct criteria⁶:
- Visa-Free Travel: Number of countries accessible without a visa⁶
- Taxation of Citizens: This includes the personal and corporate tax structures, as well as incentives offered to investors.
- Perception: Based on factors like happiness, global reputation, and human development.⁶
- Dual Citizenship: The extent to which a country allows its citizens to hold multiple nationalities ⁶
- Personal Freedom: This includes mandatory military service, privacy rights, and press freedom.⁶
This multi-faceted model provides a holistic view of a passport's value, beyond just travel, accounting for lifestyle, tax planning, and international opportunity. ⁶
Factors Shaping Passport Strength and Global Mobility in 2025
Visa-free access alone no longer dictates passport power in 2025. A blend of political shifts, economic pressures, and changing workforce behaviours now determines which passports offer true global mobility.
Understanding these underlying forces offers critical insight into how and why rankings shift from year to year.
Geopolitical Dynamics
Geopolitical tensions and new alliances have a direct impact on the global mobility landscape.
Countries undergoing war, diplomatic breakdowns, or leadership overhauls often see swift changes in their international access.
On the flip side, nations forging fresh partnerships or regional agreements tend to expand their mobility footprint.
Some notable developments in 2025 include:
- The 2024 U.S. election reset the diplomatic tone, resulting in ripple effects on trade and immigration policies, especially in North America and Europe. ¹⁴
- Ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East continue to disrupt migration patterns and affect bilateral agreements. ¹⁴
- Visa restrictions and foreign worker quotas are rising as a response to national security and labour market concerns. ¹⁵
- Meanwhile, mobility hubs like Singapore, Dubai, and Canada are emerging as attractive relocation zones, offering a mix of safety, business-friendliness, and international access. ¹⁵
Economic Influences
The strength of a passport is tightly linked to a nation’s economic performance, and in 2025, financial pressure is influencing both corporate relocation and individual migration strategies.
Key economic mobility drivers:
- Rising costs of living, especially in traditional relocation hotspots like the UK and Netherlands, are pushing employers to reconsider assignment feasibility. ¹⁶
- Double taxation risks are becoming a deterrent for talent, as employees often face tax exposure in both host and home countries. ¹⁶
- Access to capital markets, investment freedom, and banking infrastructure increasingly influence the perceived value of a passport. ¹³
- Persistent inflation, slow global growth (as forecasted by the IMF), and high interest rates are shrinking relocation budgets and corporate mobility programmes. ¹⁵
- Businesses are shifting towards nearshore and regional workforce strategies, minimising long-haul assignments in favour of localised mobility. ¹⁵
Evolving Global Mobility Trends
Beyond policy and economics, shifting workplace expectations and tech innovation are reshaping how and where people move.
- Assignment fatigue is growing. Employees, especially those with families, are increasingly reluctant to commit to traditional long-term overseas postings. ¹⁶
- In response, companies are adopting remote and hybrid work models. But this flexibility comes with compliance challenges around cross-border taxes and labour laws. ¹⁴
- In 2025, compliance is crucial. Rapid regulatory changes, especially in Asia-Pacific, are forcing firms to reevaluate their vendors, systems, and internal practices. ¹⁴
- The next generation of talent, Gen Z and millennial workers, is demanding more personalised, inclusive global mobility options. ¹⁴
- Digital transformation continues to reshape operations, with AI, cloud platforms, and automation tools streamlining everything from visa processing to relocation logistics. ¹⁴
- Finally, quality-of-life metrics, like healthcare, education, safety, and rights, are factoring more heavily into mobility decisions and influencing passport rankings. ¹³
Implications for Global Citizens and Investment Migration
Travel freedom is not the only factor shaping passport strength in 2025. High-net-worth individuals deeply tie their pursuit of global mobility to legal security, capital access, and personal freedom. The most coveted passports today aren’t just gateways to destinations; they’re strategic tools for lifestyle, investment, and protection.
Countries rising in the Global Passport Index tend to offer a strong blend of visa access, economic resilience, and investor-friendly policy. As traditional powers like the US and UK lose momentum, savvy investors are turning to alternatives that offer a more holistic value proposition, from dual citizenship flexibility to attractive tax regimes and quality healthcare systems.
For firms like Movingto, these shifts demand a tailored approach. Success in investment migration now means helping clients find the right balance between global access, compliance ease, and long-term liveability.
A small island with major passport power, Malta provides EU access, English-speaking infrastructure, and investor-friendly tax structuring.
The Future Trajectory of Global Mobility
The 2025 Global Passport Index reveals a nuanced and continuously evolving picture of international travel freedom. In this era, passport strength is no longer just a measure of how many borders one can cross without a visa; it reflects the broader status of a nation in terms of diplomacy, economic performance, and quality of life.
The continued rise of Asian passports, such as those of Singapore and Japan, alongside the relative decline of Western powers like the US and UK, marks a rebalancing of global mobility and influence.
As international movement becomes more complex, shaped by cost-of-living pressures, shifting work cultures, and geopolitical disruption, both individuals and institutions must approach global mobility with greater strategy and awareness. Agile planning, supported by data and expert insight, will be key to navigating this landscape.
Ultimately, the trajectory of global mobility is not static; it responds to the forces shaping our world in real time. For those who seek to live, work, or invest across borders, understanding these forces is essential to making empowered decisions that endure well beyond 2025.
Sources
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- Henley Passport Index 2025: An Asian powerhouse secures top spot; Indian passport weakens - The Economic Times, https://m.economictimes.com/nri/visit/henley-passport-index-2025-an-asian-powerhouse-secures-top-spot-india-slips-5-ranks/articleshow/117071599.cms
- 10 strongest and weakest passports globally (2025): Where does the Indian passport rank? https://indianexpress.com/article/trending/top-10-listing/henley-passport-index-2025-top-10-strongest-passports-global-indian-rank-9770982/
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