Singapore remains home to the world’s most powerful passport in 2026

It’s no surprise – Singapore has done it again, retaining its title as the holder of the world’s strongest passport, according to the latest Henley Passport Index. Our city’s grip on the top spot has held steady for three consecutive years despite minor changes over the past year – losing access to a few countries while gaining Papua New Guinea. 

For context, the Henley Passport Index is widely regarded as the most authoritative ranking of passport strength, covering 199 passports and 227 destinations worldwide. 

In 2026, our little red book provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 192 out of 227 destinations. Japan and South Korea sit just behind in joint second place with access to 188 destinations, while a cluster of European countries follows close on their heels. Malaysia’s not too far behind either – taking a spot in the top 10, with Malaysians able to travel to 180 destinations without a prior visa.

The Henley Openness Index takes another perspective, examining how open countries’ borders are to visitors without a prior visa. Singapore ranks highly on this list as well, coming in at 14th, allowing visa-free access to 164 out of 198 nationalities. 

Here are the top 10 passports globally as of 2026:

1. Singapore
2. Japan, South Korea
3. Denmark, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden
4. Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway
5. Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates
6. Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Malta, New Zealand, Poland
7. Australia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, United Kingdom
8. Canada, Iceland, Lithuania
9. Malaysia
10. United States of America

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