According to the global citizenship and residence advisory company Henley & Partners, Pakistan has been ranked as having the fourth-worst passport in the world. Out of 227 countries rated on the index, Pakistan stands at the 100th position. This ranking is determined by the number of destinations that their residents can access without needing a prior visa.
As of January this year, Pakistanis had access to 35 countries with an on-arrival visa facility, but that number has now decreased to 33. Meanwhile, Singapore leads the index, possessing the most powerful passport globally, allowing its citizens to visit at least 193 destinations visa-free out of a total of 227.
Europe is making a comeback in the rankings, with countries like Germany, Italy, and Spain rising to the second spot, offering visa-free access to 190 destinations. On the other hand, the United States and the United Kingdom have witnessed their rankings drop. The UK has improved to the fourth place, while the US’s ranking has fallen to the eighth position, with access to 183 visa-free destinations.
The Henley Passport Index, which ranks 199 passports based on International Air Transport Association (IATA) data, is regularly updated to reflect changes in visa policies. Over the years, the average number of visa-free destinations for travelers has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2023.
However, there is still a significant gap in travel freedom between the top-ranked and bottom-ranked countries. Conflict-ridden countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria have the least travel privileges, with access to only 27, 29, and 30 destinations, respectively. Overall, the trend over the years has been towards greater travel freedom for individuals worldwide.
