Swiss passport named world’s fifth most powerful in Henley Passport Index

The Swiss passport has been named the fifth-strongest passport in the world in the newest version of the Henley Passport Index, allowing citizens to access 187 countries without a visa.

The Henley Passport Index 2025

The Henley Passport Index is compiled annually by law firm Henley & Partners, naming the countries with the strongest passports in the world. The ranking is based on data from 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations.

Based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA), the index awards different passports one point for every country their holders can access without needing to apply for a visa, and any place where entry is possible with a visa on arrival, an easily accessible visitors permit or an electronic travel authority (ETA). On the other hand, for each country where a pre-arranged visa or pre-departure government approval is needed, no points are awarded.

In the latest version of the ranking, released in July 2025, the Singaporean passport was named the most powerful in the world for visa-free travel, followed by the Japanese and South Korean passports in joint second place. Singaporean nationals can currently travel to 193 countries without a visa, while Japanese and South Korean citizens can travel to 190.

Swiss passport remains fifth-most powerful in the world

The newest version of the Henley Passport Index saw Switzerland ranked as having the fifth strongest passport in the world, maintaining its position from January 2025. Offering access to 187 destinations around the world, the Swiss passport shares the position with Greece and New Zealand. 

Since the study was started in 2006, the quality of the Swiss passport, at least according to Henley & Partners, has been very up and down. From a high of fourth place in the very first report to a record low of 10th in 2010, the red document has been gradually improving its status, going from joint sixth at the start of 2023 to joint fifth at the beginning of 2024.

World’s strongest passports in 2025

As of July 2025, these are the countries with the most powerful passports in the world, according to Henley & Partners:

1. Singapore (193)
2. Japan, South Korea (190)
3. Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain (189)
4. Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden (188)
5. Greece, New Zealand, Switzerland (187)
6. United Kingdom (186)
7. Australia, Czechia, Hungary, Malta, Poland (185)
8. Canada, Estonia, United Arab Emirates (184)
9. Croatia, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia (183)
10. Iceland, Lithuania, United States (182)

For more information and to see the full ranking, take a look at the Henley Passport Index.