Henley Passport Index 2024

12.01.2024

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Why in the news? 

The average number of visa-free destinations has nearly doubled since 2006, according to the 2024 Henley Passport Index.

About Henley Passport Index:

• It is the original, authoritative ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa.
• It started in 2006 as the Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index (HVRI).
• The index is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the largest, most accurate travel information database, and enhanced by Henley & Partners’ research team. (Henley & Partners is a London-based advisory firm).
• The index includes 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations.
• The number of countries that a specific passport can access becomes its visa-free 'score'.

Highlights of Henley Passport Index 2024:

• France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain hold the top spot as the world's most powerful passports, allowing visa-free entry to 194 global destinations.
• The top 10 is largely dominated by European countries.
• The average number of destinations travelers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled, from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024.
• India's passport ranked 80th in the list, with citizens allowed to travel to 62 countries without a visa.
• Afghanistan occupies the bottom spot on the list, with access to just 28 countries without a visa.
• Syria, with visa-free access to only 29 destinations, holds the second-lowest position, followed by Iraq with 31 and Pakistan with 34.
• The United Arab Emirates was the fastest climber over the past decade, jumping to 11th place and offering access to 183 destinations without a visa.                                                  

                                                               Source: Hindustan Times