The once-dominant US passport has fallen out of the world’s top ten for the first time since rankings began two decades ago, marking a symbolic decline in American global influence.
According to the latest Henley Passport Index, the US now sits in 12th place, tied with Malaysia, granting visa-free access to just 180 of 227 destinations.
Singapore, South Korea and Japan occupy the top three positions with access to 193, 190 and 189 destinations respectively, cementing Asia’s dominance in global mobility.
The American passport’s slide from 10th to 12th has been accelerated by the loss of visa-free access to Brazil, exclusion from China’s expanding visa-free list and adjustments from smaller nations such as Papua New Guinea and Myanmar. Vietnam’s recent decision not to include the US in its latest visa-free expansion delivered the final blow.
MOBILITY SHIFT
Dr Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners and creator of the index, says: “The declining strength of the US passport over the past decade is more than just a reshuffle in rankings – it signals a fundamental shift in global mobility and soft power dynamics.
“Nations that embrace openness and cooperation are surging ahead, while those resting on past privilege are being left behind.”
UK DOWN TOO
The UK passport has also slipped to its lowest position on record, down two places since July to eighth, despite topping the index as recently as 2015.
While US citizens can access 180 destinations visa-free, the US itself allows only 46 nationalities to enter without a visa – ranking 77th on the Henley Openness Index.
Annie Pforzheimer of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, adds: “Even before a second Trump presidency, US policy had turned inward. That isolationist mindset is now being reflected in America’s loss of passport power.”
Meanwhile, China has surged up the rankings, rising 30 places in a decade through reciprocal visa agreements with Russia, the Gulf states and Europe – a strategy experts say is bolstering Beijing’s soft power as America retreats.
