Home » TOURISM NEWS » UK, US Hit Mobility Setback As Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, And Spain Cling To Top Ranks Under Asia’s Explosive Growth
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
The UK and US have lost ground in global mobility rankings due to a sharp rise in passport power from Asian and European countries, as Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain maintain their top-tier positions—driven by expanded visa-free access and broader global acceptance, while Asia’s explosive travel recovery continues to shift the balance.
Singapore now holds the top spot in the global passport power rankings, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 193 destinations out of 227. This milestone marks a significant moment in global mobility, highlighting the country’s unmatched travel access. The latest Henley Passport Index, based on IATA’s Timatic data, ranks countries by how freely their citizens can cross borders without requiring a prior visa.
Asia Rises to the Top in Global Mobility
Asian nations continue to lead the top levels of the global passport index, with Japan and South Korea tied in second place. Both passports allow entry to 190 destinations without requiring a prior visa, showcasing the region’s diplomatic strength, expanded international partnerships, and targeted efforts to ease travel restrictions across the Asia-Pacific zone.
A group of seven European nations holds the third position in the global passport rankings, with each granting visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 189 destinations. These countries benefit from decades of strong diplomatic ties and robust visa agreements. Another cluster of European countries shares the fourth spot, each offering access to 188 destinations. New Zealand ranks fifth alongside two other European countries, with all three passports allowing travel to 187 destinations without the need for a prior visa.
Afghanistan Ranks Lowest in Travel Freedom
The lowest end of the passport index highlights a dramatic divide in global travel freedom. Afghanistan ranks last, with its citizens able to enter just 25 countries without securing a visa in advance. This massive gap of 168 destinations compared to the top-ranked passport underscores deep inequalities in mobility, driven by ongoing conflict, restricted international relations, and widespread security challenges.
Traditional Passport Powers Continue to Decline
Once considered among the most powerful travel documents in the world, the passports of the UK and US have seen a consistent decline in recent years. The UK currently sits in sixth place, granting its citizens visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 186 destinations. The US, which previously held the top spot, has now fallen to 10th place with access to 182 countries. This downward shift highlights tightening entry requirements worldwide and a noticeable drop in visa reciprocity, even for countries with longstanding global influence.
India has made a significant upward move, climbing from 85th to 77th in the past six months. This eight-place jump came from only two additional visa-free destinations, bringing its total to 59. Saudi Arabia also saw progress, adding four new countries to its visa-free list and moving up four positions to reach 54th, with a total of 91 accessible destinations.
China and UAE Redefine Global Mobility
In the past ten years, visa-free travel access worldwide has seen a dramatic surge, with the global average rising from just 58 destinations in 2006 to 109 by 2025. Leading this upward trend, the United Arab Emirates made an extraordinary leap, jumping 34 places from 42nd to 8th — the only country to break into the top 10 so decisively. China matched this impressive climb, moving up 34 spots from 94th to 60th. What sets China apart is that it achieved this progress without gaining entry to the Schengen Zone, underscoring its growing international influence and success in forging new bilateral visa agreements around the world.
China’s rise also stems from its internal policy changes. In just five years, it increased its openness score significantly, allowing visa-free entry to citizens of 75 countries. This represents a dramatic shift from the fewer than 20 countries granted such access just a few years ago. Among the new additions in 2025 are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia — completing full visa-free access for the Gulf Cooperation Council nations — as well as South American countries like Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay.
In recent years, China has also opened its doors to several European nations, further contributing to the strong presence of European passports at the top of the rankings. These strategic moves have positioned China not only as a rising power in passport mobility but also as a key destination in the global tourism and business ecosystem.
Asia-Pacific Drives Air Travel Recovery
As global passports gain strength, the appetite for international travel is growing in tandem. In the first five months of 2025, airlines across the Asia-Pacific region experienced a remarkable 9.5% increase in international passenger traffic. This sharp rise underscores the region’s dominant position in driving the rebound of global tourism and fueling the surge in air travel demand.
In contrast, North America showed only a 1.8% increase in international traffic, which was counterbalanced by a 1% drop in domestic travel. As a result, the region experienced flat growth overall. These figures point to the growing influence of Asia-Pacific countries in shaping the future of global air traffic and international mobility.
Decline of Legacy Travel Leaders
While many countries have strengthened their passports, others have moved in the opposite direction. Only 16 countries have seen their rankings decline over the past decade. Venezuela experienced the largest fall, dropping 15 places. Others with notable declines include the US, Vanuatu, the UK, and Canada.
This downward trend suggests a global shift in mobility leadership. Countries once dominant in travel freedom now face increasing visa restrictions, while emerging powers adopt liberal visa policies and build global partnerships. As a result, mobility is becoming more evenly distributed, with new nations rising to offer their citizens broader global access.
The UK and US have slipped in global mobility rankings as Asian countries surge and top European nations like Denmark, France, and Germany hold strong, thanks to expanded visa-free access and rapid post-pandemic travel recovery across Asia.
Global Mobility Becomes More Balanced
Overall, the 2025 Henley Passport Index paints a picture of a world undergoing significant change. The gap between the most and least mobile passports remains vast, but the trend toward greater openness is undeniable. Countries that once had limited mobility are now expanding their reach, and regions like Asia-Pacific are leading the charge in transforming international travel.
