Passport Ranking: US passport drops from top 10 list, Singapore wins, China gains power
The US passport has dropped out of the top 10 in the Henley Passport Index for the first time, now ranked 12th. Singapore is the first on the list. US visa policies and global diplomatic changes have impacted its ranking.
London: The US passport, once considered the world’s most powerful, has dropped out of the Henley Passport Index’s top 10 list for the first time. The US has now slipped to 12th place in the rankings, which began 20 years ago, sharing the position with Malaysia. This decline is the result of changes in global diplomacy and visa policies that have reduced the US passport’s power.
Why did the US ranking fall?
According to the Henley Passport Index, based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), US passport holders now have visa-free travel access to only 180 out of 227 countries. This number is significantly lower than the top ranking a decade ago. Experts say that countries like Brazil ended visa-free travel agreements with the US because the US did not reciprocate. Furthermore, China and Vietnam also removed the US from their visa-free lists. Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, and Somalia’s new eVisa systems further limited the reach of US passports.
US Visa Policy is Also a Reason
US visa policies are also a major reason for this decline. While US citizens can travel to 180 countries without a visa, the US allows citizens of only 46 countries to enter the country without a visa. The United States ranks 77th on the Henley Openness Index, indicating that it lags significantly behind Australia in terms of “hospitality.” This gap is the largest in the US, followed by Australia. Experts say that countries around the world are responding to America’s strict policies in similar ways.
Singapore Ranks First, China’s Ranking Also Improves
Singapore ranks first with visa-free travel to 193 countries, while South Korea (190) and Japan (189) are second and third, respectively. China has significantly increased its passport strength over the past decade. China, which ranked 94th in 2015, has now risen to 64th, adding visa-free travel to 37 more countries, bringing the total to 82. In contrast, China allows visa-free travel to 76 countries, 30 more than the United States. Recently, China also added Russia to its visa-free list. India ranks 85th, with its citizens enjoying visa-free travel to 57 countries.
Americans Rush for Second Citizenship
The declining strength of the American passport and global uncertainty have pushed Americans to seek second citizenship or residency. Experts believe that if the US doesn’t further open its visa policies, its passport could become even more vulnerable. On the other hand, countries like Singapore, South Korea, and China could further advance in the global travel world through their diplomatic strength and open policies.
The post Passport Ranking: US passport drops from top 10 list, Singapore wins, China gains power first appeared on informalnewz.
News