Quoted by CCN; In the latest Henley index report, the United States was first out of the world’s powerful passports in the last five years. The coury is now in 12th place with the possibility of visa -free travel to 4 destinations.
The Henley Index, developed by the Henley Residence and Citizenship Counseling Company and the London -based partners, uses the exclusive data of the Iernational Air Transport Association (IATA) and ranks passports based on the amou of visa access to nine couries and the world.
At the top of the list of three are three Asian couries; Singapore with the opportunity to eer 2 visa -free destinations, South Korea with 2 and Japan with 2 destinations. After that, European couries such as Germany, Italy and Spain are ranked next.
The US passport, which was in the first place in year 2, has lost its place since last year by changing visa policies in some couries. Brazil, for example, canceled visa -free arrival for US, Canadian and Australian citizens in April, and China expanded visa exemptions for European couries in its new policies, but the US name is not seen. Also, Vietnam’s decision to remove the United States from the list of visa -exempt couries and the implemeation of the new electronic system in Somalia has influenced Washington’s drop.
Christian H. Klein, the head of Henley and Partners, said in a stateme:
Reduced US passport power is not just a statistical displaceme; It is a sign of a fundameal change in the pattern of global relocation and the balance of soft power. Couries that have developed policy of opening and cooperation are progressing and others are lagging behind.
On the other hand, China has made a significa leap over the past decade and has risen from 1 in year 2 to 2 in year 2. Beijing coinues its “open door” policy by canceling a visa for Russia, signing new agreemes with the Gulf, South America and several European couries.
The United Arab Emirates has also recorded one of the fastest growth in the last decade and has risen from 5 to eighth. At the bottom of the list, Afghanistan is still in place with visa -free access to only 4 destinations; Syria is then seen with 2 and Iraq with 2 destinations.
According to Henley’s index data, the gap between the most powerful and weakest passports has now reached 4 destinations; A gap that looks widespread than ever.
