Henley Passport Index 2024: India Slips in World’s Most Powerful Passports Ranking
According to the Henley Passport Index 2024, six countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, and Singapore, jointly hold the top position, offering visa-free access to a record-breaking number of destinations. However, India’s passport ranking has experienced a slight decline, slipping from 84th to 85th position.
What is the Henley Passport Index?
The Henley Passport Index ranks passports globally by their visa-free travel access. The index covers 199 passports and 227 destinations. It is compiled and published by Henley & Partners, a global citizenship and residence advisory firm. Updated every month, the index serves as a global benchmark for independent nations’ citizens. The Henley Passport Index data shows significant changes in global mobility over the past two decades. In 2006, people could travel visa-free to an average of 58 countries, which has nearly doubled to 111 countries this year.
India’s Passport Ranking
Despite an increase in the number of countries Indian passport holders can travel to visa-free, from 60 to 62, India’s overall ranking has dropped one place. This unexpected decline raises questions about the factors influencing India’s global passport power.
Top-Ranked Countries
Six countries, namely France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, and Singapore, jointly hold the top position in the 2024 Henley Passport Index. According to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the citizens of these six countries can travel to 194 out of 227 destinations worldwide without requiring a visa.
Regional Comparisons
Despite Iran, Malaysia, and Thailand recently announcing visa-free entry for Indian tourists, India’s ranking has declined. In contrast to India’s slight drop, its neighboring countries present a mixed picture. Pakistan maintains its position at 106th place, while Bangladesh has slipped from 101st to 102nd position. On the other hand, the Maldives retains its strong passport ranking at 58th place, offering visa-free travel to 96 countries. Similarly, China experienced a slight increase in its passport ranking, moving from 66th place in 2023 to 64th this year. This shift was influenced by the country’s decision to provide visa-free access to numerous European nations as part of its efforts to rejuvenate the tourism sector in the aftermath of the pandemic-induced economic challenges.
Impact of Recent Announcements
Despite recent announcements from Iran, Malaysia, and Thailand offering visa-free entry for Indian tourists, India’s passport ranking has not experienced the anticipated boost. This suggests that other factors beyond visa policies may be influencing the Henley Passport Index rankings.
Henley Passport Index Methodology
The Henley Passport Index relies on data spanning the past 19 years, drawing from the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) specialized data. This comprehensive dataset covers 199 different passports and 227 travel destinations globally. The index is updated monthly, providing a reliable measure of global passport power.
Global Mobility Trends
“The average number of destinations travelers can access visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024. However, the top-ranked countries now have a staggering 166 more visa-free destinations than Afghanistan, which ranks at the bottom with access to just 28 countries without a visa,” Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners and the originator of the passport index concept, said, highlighting the widening global mobility gap.
Click here to view the Global Passport Ranking
