American passport not as powerful as it used to be, falling to the tenth place in an annual ranking

The United States is about to leave Top 10 in an annual classification of the most powerful passports in the world for the first time in the 20 years of index history.

American passports fell to a 10th place, jointly maintained by Iceland and Lithuania, in the Henley passport index this year, which bases its classifications on how many destinations the head of a passport without visa can enter. The United States has fallen into the ranking every year since 2014, when its passports were classified as the most powerful.

The United States has access without visa to 182 destinations, while a Singapore passport, which occupies the first place, gives the holder the access without visa to 193 destinations, according to the index. In a press release on Tuesday, Henley, a group of global migration consultants based in London, said countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom “seem to be withdrawing behind more restrictive entry policies.”

“His passport is no longer just a travel document: it is a reflection of the diplomatic influence of his country and international relations,” said Henley & Partners CEO, Dr. Juerg Steffen, in a press release.

American travelers can find out what countries require a visa by using the US State Department. Uu. Learn about their destination search tool.

The United States also occupies a low place in the “Opening”, which only allows another 46 nationalities to visit without visa, according to the index. The entry requirements to the US are based on several factors, including national security, public security and legal requirements, according to the State Department.

In a statement, a state department spokesman said that the Federal Agency is still sure of the strength and global reach of the US passport.

“While international passport classifications may vary according to the methodology, our approach remains to facilitate safe, efficient and reciprocal trips for US citizens and foreign citizens alike,” said the spokesman.

In the second place, in this year’s Henley index, Japan and South Korea, with passports from those countries, both grant access without visa to the other 190 countries. The majority of the remaining 10 slots, which include several tied classifications, are in the hands of European countries, with the exception of the United Arab Emirates and Canada in a draw for the eighth place and the United States in the 10th place.

Afghanistan occupies the last place. Its passport gives access without visa to only 25 countries.

Henley says that its index is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association, an important travel information database.

“The consolidation we are seeing in the best underlines that access is obtained, and must be maintained, through active and strategic diplomacy,” said Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, inventor of the concept of passport index, in a statement. “The nations that proactively negotiate visas exemptions and encourage reciprocal agreements continue to increase, while the opposite applies to those who are less involved in such efforts.”