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The Hong Kong passport takes 14th place among the world’s most powerful passports

We’re rising up the ranks of global mobility

Catharina Cheung
Written by
Catharina Cheung
Section Editor
Hong Kong passport
Photograph: Shutterstock | Hong Kong passport
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The Henley Passport Index has recently released its annual ranking of the world’s most powerful passports, examining how many global destinations a passport holder can access without applying for a visa. Hong Kong ranks at No. 14 in the 2026 list, which is a really good place to be among 199 passports.

Hong Kong passport holders can enter 174 territories visa-free, which is five more destinations than when the ranking came out last year. As a result, we have also risen slightly in the list, moving up three places from 2025’s No. 17 position.

The top three most powerful passports remain unchanged, with Singapore claiming the top spot, able to enter 192 territories without a visa; followed by Japan and South Korea at 188 territories. Interestingly, the UAE has made a leap from last year’s eighth place to tie with Japan and Korea at second place on the list.

The rest of Henley’s passport index until the 10th rank are mainly Europe-dominant, with Asia coming back into the picture where Malaysia ties for rank No. 7, followed by Hong Kong at No. 14, and Macau at No. 31. 

See below for the top 10 most powerful passports this year, and visit the Henley & Partners website for the full list.

The 10 most powerful passports in the world:

  1. Singapore (192 visa-free destinations)
  2. Japan; South Korea; United Arab Emirates (188)
  3. Sweden (187)
  4. Belgium; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany; Ireland; Italy; Luxembourg; Netherlands; Norway; Spain (186)
  5. Austria; Greece; Malta; Portugal; Switzerland (185)
  6. Hungary; Poland; United Kingdom (184)
  7. Australia; Canada; Czechia; Latvia; Malaysia; New Zealand; Slovakia; Slovenia (183)
  8. Croatia; Estonia (182)
  9. Liechtenstein; Lithuania (181)
  10. Iceland; United States (180)

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