10 January 2019 - According to the annual list of the Henley and Partners Company, Japan still proudly bears the title of the most powerful passport in the world. Montenegro occupied the 45th position which means that Montenegrin people can access 123 destinations without a prior visa.
Second place is taken by Singapore and South Korea, while France and Germany share the third position whereas Denmark, Finland, Italy, Sweden, Luxembourg, and Spain take position number five.
The sixth position is held by Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the USA.
Belgium, Canada, Greece, and Ireland share the seventh position on the list of the most powerful passports. The Czech Republic is in the eight spot and Malta in the ninth. Also, Australia also found its place among the top 10, sharing its position with Iceland and New Zealand.
Boasting cutting-edge expert commentary and historical data spanning 14 years, the Henley Passport Index is the original ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. The ranking is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information, and it is enhanced by extensive, ongoing research by the Henley & Partners Research Department.
The Henley Passport Index website provides comprehensive, printable lists of the countries you can access visa-free, with an electronic visa (e-Visa), with a visa on arrival, or with a normal visa. It also allows you to compare the strength of passports and understand how you might improve your travel freedom with alternative citizenship.
When asked about why global mobility matters today, the Henley and Partners Company stated: "As the world economy has become increasingly globalized, the need for greater visa-free access has grown steadily. Across the economic spectrum, individuals want to transcend the constraints imposed on them by their country of origin and access business, financial, career, and lifestyle opportunities on a global scale."
"Wealthy individuals, in particular, are more cosmopolitan and transnational today than ever before, with roots, networks, assets, properties, and even citizenship spanning multiple countries. In many ways, global connectivity has become an indispensable feature of wealth creation and wealth preservation, and its value will only grow as regional volatility and instability increase," as concluded in the report on The Henley Passport Index.
