RASC News Agency: The Afghanistan passport has once again been ranked as the least powerful in the world, according to the 2024 Henley Passport Index. The index places Singapore at the top for the most powerful passports globally, while Afghanistan sits at the bottom. Afghanistan passport holders can only travel visa-free to 26 destinations, including Cambodia, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka. Trailing Afghanistan are the passports of Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan, Somalia, Nepal, and the Palestinian territories, which are similarly ranked among the weakest. Pakistan, positioned three spots above Afghanistan at 103rd place, allows its citizens visa-free access to 33 countries.
In stark contrast, the Singaporean passport leads the world in mobility, surpassing those of Japan, Germany, Italy, Spain, and France. Singaporean citizens enjoy visa-free travel to 195 destinations worldwide. Japan ranks second, offering its passport holders access to 193 countries without a visa. European nations, including Finland, France, Germany, and Italy, which previously dominated the rankings, now occupy the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth positions, respectively. Citizens of these countries can travel visa-free to 192 destinations. The United States has experienced a marked decline in passport strength over the past decade, joining 22 other nations that have seen a similar downward trend. Similarly, Canadian and British passports have lost ground in the Henley Global Passport Index. Conversely, China has risen to 60th place, reflecting an increase in visa-free travel opportunities to 58 countries this year, underscoring its growing openness.
The Henley Passport Index is a globally respected benchmark that evaluates the strength of passports based on visa-free travel access to other nations. The rankings are derived from comprehensive data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), ensuring their accuracy and credibility.
