Highlights
- Hong Kong secures 15th position in the 2026 Henley Passport Index.
- Several countries have tied at different spots, with visa-free access to the same number of destinations.
Hong Kong has climbed up to the 15th position from the 18th position in 2025, in terms of the Henley Passport Index. This means that Hong Kong citizens can travel to 171 destinations visa-free, out of the 227 countries and territories tracked by the index. Further, Singapore is once again the world’s most powerful passport, a position that it has been holding onto since mid-2023.
Our story on why you should always take a photo of your passport barcode before any trip is sure to intrigue you.
Henley Passport Index 2026: Singapore reigns supreme
Marking two decades since its inception, the Henley Passport Index 2026 is here — revealing a growing divide between the world’s most and least mobile populations.
Powered by exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the original and definitive… pic.twitter.com/FVYLmft229
— Henley & Partners (@HenleyPartners) January 13, 2026
According to the official website of Henley Global, here’s a quick look at the 2026 passport rankings:
1. Singapore: Visa-free access to 192 destinations
2. Japan and South Korea: Visa-free access to 188 destinations.
3. Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland: Visa-free access to 186 destinations.
4. Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Norway: Visa-free access to 185 countries.
5. Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the United Arab Emirates: Visa-free access to 184 countries.
6. Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Malta, New Zealand, and Poland: Visa-free access to 183 countries.
7. Australia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, and the United Kingdom: Visa-free access to 182 countries.
8. Canada, Iceland, and Lithuania: Visa-free access to 181 countries.
9. Malaysia: Visa-free access to 180 countries.
10. The United States: Visa-free access to 179 countries.
Observations
- Hong Kong ranked 15th on the index, with visa-free access to 171 countries.
- According to a report on The Straits Times, the UAE is the biggest long-time riser, having climbed more than 50 spots since 2006 and having added 149 destinations to its repertoire.
- Thailand is at 60th position with access to 79 visa-free destinations.
- India is at the 80th position with access to 55 visa-free destinations.
- Afghanistan is at the bottom of the list, with visa-free access to 24 destinations.
(Feature image credit: Baigal Byamba, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
Related | Hong Kong Has A New Seat Belt Rule; Here’s Everything You Need To Know
Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
Written By
Esha Dasgupta
Senior Digital Writer – Growth, Travel
Esha is a traveller at heart, with a penchant for exploring the unchartered. She has previously worked ..Read More
