Henley Passport Index 2024 

The recently released Henley Passport Index 2024 highlights significant shifts in global passport rankings, with France leading the pack by offering visa-free access to an impressive 194 countries.

Key Highlights of the Henley Passport Index 2024 :

France Leads the Pack:

• In 2024, France claims the coveted top position on the Henley Passport Index, offering visa-free access to an impressive 194 countries.
• France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain: Visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 194 countries.
• Finland, South Korea, and Sweden: Visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 193 countries and territories.

India’s Ranking Decline:

• India slips from 84th to 85th position in the passport rankings, despite an increase in visa-free access from 60 to 62 countries.
• Recent announcements from Iran, Malaysia, and Thailand offering visa-free entry for Indian tourists do not prevent the overall slip in India’s passport ranking.
• The discrepancy underscores the complexity of factors influencing passport strength and global mobility.

Regional Insights:

• Pakistan maintains its 106th position, while Bangladesh experiences a slight decline from 101st to 102nd place.
• Maldives continues to possess a robust passport, securing 58th place with visa-free travel to 96 countries.

Global Mobility Trends:

• The Henley Passport Index data, spanning 19 years, indicates a significant global mobility shift, with the number of countries accessible visa-free nearly doubling from 58 to 111.

Methodology:

• The index derives its rankings from International Air Transport Association (IATA) data covering 199 passports and 227 travel destinations worldwide.
• Updated monthly, the Henley Passport Index serves as a global standard, reflecting changes in citizens’ travel freedom over the past two decades.

Henley Passport Index:

• The Henley Passport Index is a global ranking of countries based on the number of destinations their citizens can access without a visa.
• It was originally called the Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index when it began in 2006 and was renamed in 2018.
• The index is updated monthly and is based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

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