For the first time in 20 years, the US passport has fallen out of the world’s top 10, while Nigeria sits at 96th on the 2025 Henley Passport Index.
For the first time in two decades, the United States passport has dropped out of the top 10 in the Henley Passport Index, now ranking 12th globally.
The 2025 report shows Nigeria in 96th place, tied with Ethiopia, Lebanon, and Myanmar, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to only 44 countries.
According to the index, which ranks passports by global travel freedom, Singapore leads the world with access to 193 destinations, followed by South Korea (190) and Japan (189).
“The shift marks a fundamental change in global mobility and soft power dynamics,” said Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners.
The US decline is partly due to new visa restrictions by countries like Brazil and China, while nations such as China and the UAE have made notable gains through expanded diplomacy.
At the bottom of the list, Afghanistan remains the weakest passport, offering access to only 24 destinations.
Top 10 Global Passports – Henley Passport Index 2025
Singapore – 193 countries
South Korea – 190 countries
Japan – 189 countries
Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland – 188 countries
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Netherlands – 187 countries…