13 January 2022 03:02 pm
Japan and Singapore have topped the list in the annual Henley & Partners’ Henley Passport Index of 199 countries and Sri Lanka ranked 102 along with Lebanon and Sudan with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 41 countries.
The firm's Henley Passport Index, based on exclusive data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), has been regularly monitoring the world's most travel-friendly passports since 2006.
The index ranks all passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. “It is updated in real time throughout the year, as and when visa policy changes come into effect,” reads the website.
Based on data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), holders of the passports at the top — Japan and Singapore — are able to travel visa-free to 192 destinations.
According to Henley Passport Index's updated rankings, there is a "growing divide in mobility — and the resulting access to opportunities — between citizens in the wealthy global north and those in the lower-income global south"
South Korea is tied with Germany in second place (with a score of 190) and Finland, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain are on the third spot (with a score of 189).
While EU countries dominate the top of the list as usual, with France, Netherlands and Sweden climbing one spot to join Austria and Denmark in fourth place (with a score of 188) Ireland and Portugal are in fifth place (with a score of 187).
The Indian passport now ranks 83rd and Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan ranked 103rd, 105th, 108th and 111th positions respectively.