In the new passport index released on Tuesday, last year’s king of passports - Singapore has been supplanted by another Asian giant –Japan – as the most powerful passport, that can take its holders to 190 countries visa-free or on arrival access, across the globe.
Singapore has been relegated to the second position with access to 189 countries, followed by France, Germany and South Korea – each with a country access score of 188.
The Australian passport is at the seventh position, jointly with Greece and Malta, in this year’s Henley Passport Index, and Australians have visa-free or on-arrival visa access to 183 countries across the world.
Though Australia’s rank hasn’t changed since last year, the score of the Australian passport has improved by 13 points this year. Until last year, Australian passport holders could access 170 countries visa-free or on-arrival visa basis.
Australian Passport Source: Getty Images
There are 43 countries in the world that require Australian passport holders to obtain a visa before travelling to these destinations, including it’s immediate neighbour in the Oceania- Nauru, besides India, China, Pakistan, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. There are 22 countries in Africa alone where Australians can only travel on a visa.
The holders of the table-topper Japanese passport would need a visa to travel to 36 countries.
The Indian passport is ranked 81st in the 2018 global passport index, with access to 60 countries- 10 in Asia, 21 in Africa, 9 in Oceania, 10 Caribbean countries, 5 Middle Eastern, four in the Americas and two in Europe. The Indian passport holders need a valid visa to travel to 166 countries in the world.
Source: Getty Images
The lowest ranking countries are Yemen, Pakistan, Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Georgia, Ukraine, UAE and China are the passports that registered the biggest improvement, with 14-18 ranking points this year.
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