Pakistan’s passport has seen a significant decline in its global ranking, dropping to 103rd position from its previous rank of 96th, according to the latest Henley Passport Index 2025.
As per the updated index, Pakistani citizens can now travel visa-free to only 31 countries, a decrease from the previous tally of 32.
Pakistan is followed by Iraq (104th), Syria (105th), and Afghanistan (106th), with its ranking tied with Yemen.
In a related development, neighboring India has also seen a drop in its passport ranking, now standing at 85th.
On the other hand, Singapore continues to hold the title of the world’s most powerful passport, offering visa-free access to 193 countries.
South Korea and Japan follow closely behind, securing the 2nd and 3rd positions with 190 and 189 countries, respectively.
Several European countries, including Germany, Italy, Spain, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, share the 4th position, granting their citizens visa-free access to 188 countries.
Interestingly, the United States passport has reached its lowest rank in history, now sitting at 12th place, tied with Malaysia. US passport holders can travel to 180 countries without a visa, but the US offers visa-free access to only 46 countries.
This decline is attributed to changes in the Visa Reciprocity Policy as Washington has tightened visa requirements for several nations.
Meanwhile, China has made significant strides, moving from 94th place in 2015 to 64th place in the latest ranking.
Over the past year, China has signed visa-free agreements with 30 new countries, demonstrating rapid progress in global travel freedom.
