Japan and Singapore continue to share number one spot on the Henley Passport Index — the ranking for the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa — with their passport holders able to access 192 destinations around the world visa-free, not taking temporary Covid restrictions into account.

Germany and South Korea hold joint-2nd place, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 190, while Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain share 3rd place, with their passport holders able to access 189 destinations around the world without having to acquire a visa in advance.

The UK, which recently dropped all remaining Covid-related restrictions, now sits in 5th place, with a score of 187, with the US just one place behind in 6th spot, with a score of 186. Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the index­ — which is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) — with its nationals only able to access 26 destinations visa-free.

Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners, says the latest update provides a unique snapshot of a volatile and rapidly changing world. “The country you are born in dramatically impacts the quality and extent of opportunities you will have in your life as well as the challenges you might face along the way. Holding more than one citizenship, with the range of personal access rights each guarantees, is the ultimate asset in a time of crisis and volatility.”

According to exclusive research by Henley & Partners and Deep Knowledge Analytics into the correlation between passport power, and climate change vulnerability and preparedness, wealthy and developed nations with the greatest visa-free access also score highly when it comes to their readiness to adapt to the climate crisis.