Indian Passport Ranking Fell Again on Henley’s Index 2021

Even as countries across the globe are easing passport restrictions for travelers post-covid, Indian Passport Ranking slipped by 6 spots to 90th rank on the World’s Travel-Friendly Passports list issued by Henley Passport Index.

Henley Passport Index is prepared by Henley and Partners, a global residence and citizenship consultant based in London.

What Factors Does Henley Passport Index Use to Rank the Passports?

There are several parameters used in Henley Passport Index:

• Henley’s report considers 227 nations to allot ranks to the passports
• The index ranks passports based on the number of destinations that the passport holder can travel to without getting a visa beforehand
• Henley and Partners use the IATA (International Air Transport Association) data that keeps the world’s largest and most detailed travel database

Why Did the Indian Passport Ranking Drop on Henley’s Index 2021?

Last year in 2020, India stood at 84th position, while this year it slipped to 90th rank. Indian passport holders can travel without a visa to 58 nations. Owing to the increasing Covid-19 cases in India, several countries had put a travel ban on Indian travelers. 

Countries in the global north had stringent travel restrictions in place due to the pandemic. Even fully vaccinated travelers from lower-ranking countries were restricted from traveling. 

Also, these countries are enforcing stringent measures to control migration to these countries. Naturally, India slipped from its previous ranking to secure the 90th position.

Europe Continues to Dominate as Powerful Passport Countries List in 2021

Several European nations made it to the top 10 list. Germany, Finland, Luxembourg, Italy, Denmark, Austria, France, Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden, Portugal, Belgium, Switzerland, Greece, Czech Republic, Norway, Malta, UK, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovakia, and Poland all made it to the top 10 list. Their scores ranged from 190 to 182. The passport ranking virtually remained unchanged for these countries.

Here Are the Results of the Top 10 Most Powerful Passports in the World 2021 Based on Henley’s Index:

2021 Rank	Passport Issuing Country	Visa-Free Destinations
1	Japan	193
2	Singapore	192
3	Germany	191
3	South Korea	191
4	Finland	190
4	Italy	190
4	Luxembourg	190
4	Spain	190
5	Austria	189
5	Denmark	189
6	France	188
6	Ireland	188
6	Netherlands	188
6	Portugal	188
6	Sweden	188
7	Belgium	187
7	New Zealand	187
7	Switzerland	187
7	United Kingdom	187
7	United States	187
8	Czech Republic	186
8	Greece	186
8	Malta	186
8	Norway	186
9	Australia	185
9	Canada	185
10	Hungary	184

Singapore and Japan shared the top spot as the world’s most powerful passports, as their passport holders can freely travel to 192 countries without a visa. Germany and South Korea grabbed the second position, with a score of 190.

Here Are the Results of the 10 Least Powerful Passports in the World 2021 Based on Henley’s Index:

2021 Rank	Passport Issuing Country	Visa-Free Destinations
116	Afghanistan	26
115	Iraq	28
114	Syria	29
113	Pakistan	32
112	Yemen	33
111	Somalia	34
110	Palestine	37
109	Nepal	38
108	North Korea	39
107	Libya	40
107	Kosovo	40

Afghanistan was at the bottom of the list, with a score of 26. While the other few at the bottom were Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, and Yemen.