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.
