On January 13, 2026, Henley & Partners, a British consultancy expertized in investment migration, released Henley Passport Index (HPI) 2026 Global Ranking. As per the index, India has ranked 80th position, up from 85 in 2025, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival to 55 destinations, shared with Algeria and Niger.
- Singapore remains the most powerful passport for the third time with access to 192 destinations without a prior visa, followed by Japan and South Korea (188) sharing second place.
- Afghanistan ranked last(101st) with access to only 24 countries.
Exam Hints:
- What? Henley Passport Index 2026 was released
- Who? Henley & Partners
- Top 3 Countries: Singapore (192), Japan (188) & South Korea (188)
- India’s Rank: 80th (55 destinations), shared with Algeria and Niger
- Least Powerful Passport: Afghanistan (101st) (24 destinations)
- Strongest Long-Term Performer: UAE
About Henley Passport Index:
Overview: HPI is a global ranking of passports based on travel freedom. It measures how many countries a passport holder can visit without needing a visa in advance.
Data Source: The index uses data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations. It includes visa-free, visa-on-arrival, and Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) access.
Frequency: It is updated annually to reflect diplomatic changes, agreements, or geopolitical developments.
Ranking Methodology: A higher visa-free score symbolizes a passport enables more visa-free international travel, which denotes greater global mobility.
Top Ranking Countries in HPI 2026:
| Rank | Country | Visa-Free Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 192 |
| 2 | Japan, South Korea | 188 |
| 3 | Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Denmark | 186 |
| 80 | India, Algeria, Niger | 55 |
Bottom 3 Countries in HPI 2026:
| Rank | Country | Visa-Free Score |
|---|---|---|
| 101 | Afghanistan | 24 |
| 100 | Syria | 26 |
| 99 | Iraq | 29 |
Highlights of Henley Passport Index(HPI) 2026:
Other Top 5 Ranked Countries: Countries such as Spain, Sweden, Switzerland share third position with Luxembourg and Denmark with visa-free score of 186. Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, and Norway share fourth place with a visa-free score of 185.
- Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates (UAE) share fifth place with 184 destinations.
Other Top 10 Countries: Countries such as Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Malta, New Zealand, and Poland share sixth place with visa free access to 183 destinations.
- Australia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, and the United Kingdom (UK) (7th rank) (182 destinations), followed by Canada, Iceland, and Lithuania share 8th place (181 destinations).
- Malaysia secured 9th place (180 destinations) and the United States of America (USA) secured 10th place with 179 destinations.
Other Least Powerful Passports: Syria ranked 100th with visa-free score of 26 destinations, Iraq (99th place) (29 destinations), Pakistan, Yemen (98th place) (31), Somalia (97th place) (33 destinations), Nepal (96th place) (35), Bangladesh (95th place) (37), Eritrea, North Korea, Palestinian Territory (94th place) (38), Libya, Sri Lanka (93rd) (39), and Iran (92nd) (40 destinations).
Regional Performance: Europe dominates the top 10 rankings with Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Strongest Performer: The UAE has emerged as the strongest performer on the Henley Passport Index over the past 20 years, gaining 149 visa-free destinations since 2006 and climbing 57 places to 5th, with access to 184 destinations visa-free.
India Specific: Indian passport holders can enter 55 countries without a pre-arranged visa. Most European, North American, and East Asian countries still require advance visas.
- India’s passport offers stronger access to destinations across Asia, Africa, and parts of the Caribbean, and the expanding availability of eTA and visa-on-arrival facilities has improved travel convenience for Indian citizens.
About Henley & Partners:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Dr. Juerg Steffen
Headquarters – London, United Kingdom (UK)
Established – 1997
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