Passport power: Canada climbs to 7th as passport mobility reaches record highs

Global passport power has expanded dramatically over the past two decades, even as geopolitical instability and armed conflicts continue to rise, according to the latest Henley Passport Index.

Released to mark the index's 20th anniversary, the July 2026 rankings show the average passport now provides visa-free access to 108 destinations worldwide, nearly double the 58 destinations recorded when the index launched in 2006.

The rankings, based on exclusive Timatic data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), come as millions of travellers prepare for the peak Northern Hemisphere summer travel season.

Singapore retained its position as the world's most powerful passport, offering visa-free access to 192 destinations. The United Arab Emirates recorded the biggest gain since January, climbing three places to share second position with Japan and South Korea, each providing access to 188 destinations.

Canada moved up to seventh place in the global rankings, while the United Kingdom climbed to sixth after securing visa-free access to China and Malawi.

The United States remained in 10th place and is now one of the few top-ranked passports that still requires a visa for travel to China.

Passport power

The report highlights how international mobility has continued to improve despite a more volatile global environment.

Henley & Partners compared its Passport Index with the latest Global Peace Index, which also marks its 20th edition. 

According to the Institute for Economics & Peace, global peacefulness has declined for the 12th consecutive year, with the world experiencing the highest number of state-based conflicts since the Second World War. The report notes that 119 countries are now less peaceful than they were in 2008, while 103 countries have been involved in an external conflict over the past five years.

"Twenty years of data show that passport power is one of the clearest expressions of a country's geopolitical capital,” said Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners and creator of the Henley Passport Index, in a statement.

“It reflects far more than peace or prosperity alone. The world's strongest passports belong to nations that other countries want as partners -- for trade, investment, security, or cooperation."

Gap widens

The report also found that while global travel freedom has increased, the gap between the world's strongest and weakest passports has widened significantly.

In 2006, the difference between the highest- and lowest-ranked passports was 118 destinations. Today, that gap has grown to a record 170 destinations, with Afghanistan remaining at the bottom of the rankings.

Among the biggest long-term movers, the United Arab Emirates added 153 visa-free destinations over the past 20 years, making it the strongest performer during that period.

Bolivia was the only passport to experience a net decline, losing visa-free access to six destinations.

Shift in global mobility

The report also notes a shift in global mobility beyond traditional Western powers. While Europe continues to dominate the upper rankings, the United States has fallen from first place in 2006 to 10th today, while the United Kingdom has slipped from third to sixth.

The number of passports sharing positions in the top 10 has also grown from 26 to 38 over the past two decades.

Henley & Partners' analysis found a strong positive relationship between peacefulness and passport strength, but several countries stand out as exceptions.

The United States, Israel, France, the UAE, South Korea, Brazil, Ukraine and Russia all hold significantly stronger passports than their respective peace rankings alone would suggest.

The firm said the findings underscore that diplomatic influence, economic ties and international cooperation continue to play a major role in determining global mobility, while many countries in the Global South remain constrained by fewer reciprocal visa-waiver agreements and structural barriers within the global visa system.

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