Pakistan’s Passport Ranked 4th Worst Globally: Report

Islamabad: Henley & Partners, a global citizenship and residence advisory company, has ranked Pakistan’s passport as the fourth-worst in the world. According to their report, Pakistani passport holders had access to 35 countries with on-arrival visa facilities until January this year, which has now reduced to 33 destinations. Pakistan stands at the 100th position among 227 countries in the index, based on the number of visa-free destinations its residents can access.

India, on the other hand, ranks 80th on the list, with its passport granting on-arrival visa facilities in 57 countries. Singapore tops the index with the most powerful passport, allowing its citizens visa-free access to at least 193 destinations out of 227, while Japan shares the third position with South Korea, Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, and Sweden, providing visa-free access to 189 destinations.

Europe is making a comeback in the rankings, with Germany, Italy, and Spain occupying the second spot and offering visa-free access to 190 destinations. Meanwhile, the United States and the United Kingdom have witnessed a decline in their rankings. Britain has improved, reaching the fourth place, while the US ranking has dropped to eighth with access to 183 visa-free destinations.

The Henley Passport Index ranks 199 passports based on International Air Transport Association (IATA) data and is regularly updated to reflect changes in visa policies. Over the years, the average number of visa-free destinations for travellers has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2023.

However, there remains a significant gap in travel freedom between top-ranked and bottom-ranked countries. Nationals of conflict-ridden countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria possess the least travel privileges, with access to just 27, 29, and 30 destinations, respectively.