The UK has slipped to joint-sixth in a table of the world’s most powerful passports. The Henley Passport Index ranks countries according to the number of destinations passport holders can visit without a pre-arranged visa, which decreased for the UK this year.

In 2015, the UK was ranked joint-first, alongside Germany, but has dropped down the listings each year since. The number of visa-free/visa-on-arrival countries UK passport holders can travel to fell from 186 to 185 last year, due to the introduction of e-visas in Turkey (now required prior to arrival). Despite this, however, the UK’s score has improved overall since the index began in 2006, when it had 126, and there are now more outbound trips from the UK than ever before, with 72.8 million in 2017.

The impact of Brexit on passports and visas is still hanging in the balance. However, in the event of a no-deal scenario, the European commission has confirmed that UK citizens would have to pay €7 for a travel permit at least 72 hours before travel, a similar system to the US Esta visa-waiver.

Japan’s passport is ranked the strongest in the world for the second year running, allowing visa-free access to 190 countries to an estimated 17.5 million outbound Japanese travellers last year.

The index uses data from the International Air Transport Association, and includes passports from 199 countries checked against 227 possible travel destinations.

Asian countries dominate the index’s top spots, with Singapore and South Korea ranked second, with access to 189 destinations visa-free or visa-on-arrival. China has also jumped 16 places in the past two years, from 85th in 2017 to 69th in 2019.

European countries still fare well, with Germany and France ranked third, with 188; and Denmark, Finland, Italy and Sweden fourth, with 187.

The past decade has seen a marked decline in many African countries’ rankings, including Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Gambia and South Africa, which have all dropped at least 18 places since 2009. Afghanistan and Iraq hold joint-last place for the third year in a row, with a current visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 30.

Despite a rising isolationist sentiment in some regions, global mobility is improving, with an increase in visa-free access and mutually beneficial agreements overall. Historical data from the index shows that in 2006, an average passport holder could travel to 58 destinations without needing a visa; by the end of 2018 this number had almost doubled to 107.

“The general spread of open-door policies has the potential to contribute billions to the global economy, as well as create significant employment opportunities around the world,” said Christian H Kälin, chairman of Henley & Partners and index founder. “South Korea and the United Arab Emirates’ recent ascent in the rankings are further examples of what happens when countries take a proactive foreign affairs approach, an attitude which significantly benefits their citizens as well as the international community.”

• This article was amended on 15 January 2019. An earlier version stated that, in 2015, the UK was ranked joint-first on the index, alongside the US. In fact it was ranked joint-first with Germany.





