SÃO PAULO, SP (UOL/FOLHAPRESS) - In twenty years, the United States has fallen ten positions in the ranking of the most powerful passports in the world. The country once shared leadership with Denmark and Finland, but has lost ground over the last two decades, according to a survey by consultancy Henley & Partners.
Why the US fell from 1st to 10th in strong passport rankings
SÃO PAULO, SP (UOL/FOLHAPRESS) - In twenty years, the United States has fallen ten positions in the ranking of the most powerful passports in the world. The country once shared leadership with Denmark and Finland, but...
A passport is considered more "powerful" the greater the number of countries and territories its holder can visit without needing to apply for a visa before traveling. Launched in 2006, the Henley Passport Index has been tracking the evolution of travel freedom around the world for two decades. Based on data from the International Air Transport Association (Iata), the study shows how many destinations can be visited without the need for a prior visa and is considered one of the main indicators of international mobility.
According to the consultancy, the strength of a passport depends mainly on visa exemption agreements and reciprocity between countries. In recent years, the United States has made little progress in this regard, which explains the drop.
In parallel, other nations expanded their international agreements and gained positions in the ranking. According to Henley & Partners President Christian H. Kaelin, the change goes beyond a simple change in classification.
"The decline in the strength of the U.S. passport over the past decade is more than a simple ranking change. It signals a fundamental shift in global mobility and soft power dynamics," said Christian H. Kaelin, in a statement released by Henley.
In practice, this means that several countries have signed more visa exemption agreements and increased freedom of movement for their citizens. The concept of soft power refers to a country's ability to exert influence through diplomacy, international prestige, trust in its institutions, among other factors.
For Henley, the United States' loss of positions reflects precisely this change in the geopolitical balance. While new powers expand their diplomatic presence and close more mobility agreements, the USA has been losing its role in this aspect.
The assessment is shared by Annie Pforzheimer, senior researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), in Washington. According to her, the country had already been adopting a more inward-looking stance in recent years and is currently "reapping the fruits". "This isolationist mentality is now reflected in the loss of power of US passports," he said in a statement released by Henley.
Although it occupies tenth position, the United States gained two places in relation to the list released in October 2025. Even so, it lost the position of strongest passport in the Americas to Canada, which appears in seventh place.
Henley also highlights the lack of reciprocity adopted by the US. One example is Brazil, which ended its unilateral visa exemption for US citizens in April 2025.
On the other hand, countries in Asia and Europe registered a significant advance in the ranking. "The strongest passports in the world belong to nations that other countries want as partners, whether for trade, investment, security or cooperation", highlights Kaelin.
HOW IS THE RANKING UPDATED?
The July 2026 edition puts Singapore in the lead. The country's citizens can travel to 192 destinations without needing a prior visa, the largest number in the world.
In second place are Japan, the United Arab Emirates and South Korea, with access to 188 destinations. According to Henley, there is a strong relationship between peace and freedom of travel.
The trend repeats itself throughout the ranking. Sweden occupies third place, with access to 187 destinations. Next, a group of European countries share the fourth position, with 186 destinations: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain.
AND BRAZIL?
In South America, Chile leads the regional ranking, with access to 174 destinations. Brazil and Argentina appear next, tied for 16th place worldwide, with access to 169 destinations without the need for a prior visa.
The Brazilian passport is considered one of the strongest in Latin America. In practice, Brazilians can travel without a prior visa to all countries in South America, much of Europe on tourist trips and for a limited time, in addition to several destinations in Asia.
RANKING OF THE MOST POWERFUL PASSPORTS IN THE WORLD
1. Singapore - 192 destinations2. Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates - 1883. Sweden - 1874. Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain - 1865. Austria, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Switzerland - 1856. Hungary, Poland and the United Kingdom - 1847. Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Latvia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Slovakia and Slovenia - 1838. Croatia and Estonia - 1829. Liechtenstein and Lithuania - 18110. Iceland and the United States - 18011. Bulgaria and Romania - 17812. Monaco - 17713. Cyprus - 17514. Chile and Hong Kong - 17415. Andorra - 17016. Brazil and Argentina - 169
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Source: Noticias ao Minuto - Ultima Hora
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