The most powerful passports in the world for 2021

(CNN) – The days of strolling in an airport, flashing a passport, then taking a flight to where you want is, for now, a distant memory.

The Covid-19 pandemic has transformed the travel landscape, potentially for decades to come.

Countries around the world are entering new locks, but even when restrictions disappear, mandatory vaccination before air travel is likely to be a necessity soon.

Japan tops the list

Asian citizens continue to hold the most powerful travel documents in the world.

The index does not take into account temporary restrictions, so Japan is once again at the top of the rankings, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 191 destinations around the world.

Singapore is in second place (with a score of 190) and South Korea with Germany in third place (with a score of 189).

A little further in the top 10, New Zealand is in seventh, with visa-free access to 185 destinations, while Australia is in eighth, with access to 184 destinations.

This APAC dominance is a relatively new phenomenon in the index’s 16-year history.

The US, UK and EU countries have traditionally ruled the roost but, Henley & Partners reports in its statement, “Experts suggest the APAC region’s strong position will continue as it includes some of the first countries to begin the process of resuming the pandemic. “

The number of coronavirus cases is currently rising sharply in the US and UK, with the UK at the center of a new, rapidly spreading variant.

The temporary travel restrictions associated with this mean that – with the UK and US ranked seventh on Henley’s list – the reality is that US passport holders are currently able to travel under 75. destinations, while UK passport holders have access to them. under 70.

The unstoppable United Arab Emirates

There have been relatively few high-level visa agreements between countries in 2020 – the UAE being a notable exception, according to Henley & Partners.

Last year, the UAE signed several reciprocal visa waiver agreements, including a landmark US-brokered deal establishing formal ties with Israel and granting citizens of each country visa-free access to the other. .

The United Arab Emirates occupies 16th place in the rankings, with visa-free / visa-on-arrival access to 173 destinations. That’s an incredible increase from its position when the index started in 2006, when the country ranked 62nd, with access to just 35.

‘Every man for himself’

“Just a year ago, there was every indication that global mobility rates would continue to rise, that freedom to travel would increase, and that powerful passport holders would enjoy more access than ever before,” says Christian H. Kaelin, president of Henley & Partners and inventor of the passport index concept.

“The global lockdown has reversed those glowing projections, and as the restrictions begin to lift, the results of the latest index are a reminder of what the power of passports really means in a world shattered by the pandemic.”

In terms of future global mobility, one should not expect a return to pre-pandemic patterns, says Parag Khanna, author of “The Future is Asian” and founder and managing partner of Singapore consulting firm FutureMap. Nationality alone may no longer open the doors.

“Even for still strong passports such as Japan, Singapore, South Korea and EU members, additional protocols will be needed to regain relatively smooth mobility,” says Khanna.

“Young people today are socially aware, environmentally aware and less nationalistic – potentially making them the most mobile generation in human history. They herald a fundamental shift in mobility, moving from the status of each country for itself to that of each for itself. “

The best passports to hold in 2021 are:

1. Japan (191 destinations)

2. Singapore (190)

3. South Korea, Germany (189)

4. Italy, Finland, Spain, Luxembourg (188)

5. Denmark, Austria (187)

6. Sweden, France, Portugal, Netherlands, Ireland (186)

7. Switzerland, United States, United Kingdom, Norway, Belgium, New Zealand (185)

8. Greece, Malta, Czech Republic, Australia (184)

9. Canada (183)

10. Hungary (181)

Worst passports to hold

Several countries around the world have visa-free or on-arrival access to less than 40 countries. These include:

103. North Korea (39 destinations)

104. Libya, Nepal (38)

105. Palestinian Territories (37)

106. Somalia, Yemen (33)

107. Pakistan (32)

108. Syria (29)

109. Iraq (28)

110. Afghanistan (26)

Other indexes

The Henley & Partner List is one of many indexes created by financial companies to rank global passports based on the access they provide to their citizens.

The Henley Passport Index is based on data provided by the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) and covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations. It is updated in real time throughout the year, as visa policy changes come into effect.

The Arton Capital passport index takes into account the passports of 193 United Nations member countries and six territories – ROC Taiwan, Macao (SAR China), Hong Kong (SAR China), Kosovo, Palestinian Territory and Vatican. Territories annexed to other countries are excluded.

Its 2021 index puts Germany in the lead, with a visa-free / visa-on-arrival score of 134.