On October 15,2025, Henley & Partners, a British consultancy expertized in investment migration, released Henley Passport Index 2025 Global Ranking. According to the index, the Indian passport has fallen to 85th position from 77th in July 2025, providing visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 57 countries, and is tied with Mauritius.
- Singapore retains its position as the most powerful passport, offering visa-free access to 193 of 227 destinations, with Japan and South Korea jointly holding the second place.
Exam Hints:
- What? Release of Henley Passport Index 2025-October edition
- Indian Passport Rank? 85th position
- Previous Position? 77th
- Top 1? Singapore
- Top 2? South Korea
- Top 3? Japan
- Progress? UAE is ranked with 10th position
- Decline? UK ranked at 8th position
- USA Position? 12th position
About Henley Passport Index:
Background: The index was initially created by Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, comprises 199 passports and 227 travel destinations.
First Edition: The first edition was launched in 2008, originally under the name Henley & Passport Visa Restrictions Index (HVRI), which was renamed as Henley Passport Index in 2018
Ranking Method: The countries on the list are sorted by the number of destinations their passport holders can travel visa-free or without a prior visa.
Basis of Ranking:: The countries are ranked based on the Travel Information Manual Automatic (Timatic) data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information.
Top 3 Ranks:
| Rank | Country | Visa-Free Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 193 |
| 2 | South Korea (SK) | 190 |
| 3 | Japan | 189 |
| 85 | India | 57 |
Bottom 3 Countries:
| Rank | Country | Visa-Free Score |
|---|---|---|
| 106 | Afghanistan | 24 |
| 105 | Syria | 26 |
| 104 | Iraq | 29 |
Global Rankings:
Top 5: Japan is demoted into Third place with Visa-Free Score difference of just one less country (i.e. 189 score)
- Five European Union (EU) nations, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain and Switzerland jointly hold the 4th position in the index with Visa-Free Score 188.
- Seven EU nations, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland and Netherland jointly hold the 5th position in the index with Visa-Free Score of 187.
Other top 10: The passports of seven countries of the EU share 6th place, including, Greece, Hungary, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Sweden with Visa-Free Score of .186
Australia, Czechia, Malta, Poland countries jointly hold the 7th position with Visa-Free Score of 185
- Croatia, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), United Kingdom (UK) all together hold the 8th position with Visa -Free Score of 184.
- Canada alone holds the 9th positions with Visa-Free Score of 183
- Latvia and Liechtenstein jointly hold the 10th position with Visa-Free Score of 184
Progress: The UAE ranked 10th place, has made the highest progression by moving up to 8th place since July 2025, totaling to 184 destinations.
Decline: The UK is ranked 8th globally in 2025, having declined from its previous higher positions.
- The USA, which held the top spot in 2014, has dropped to 12th globally in 2025, marking the first time in its 20-year history that it has fallen out of the top 10.
India-Specific:
Without Visa: 12 countries, including Bhutan, Dominica, Haiti, Indonesia, Mauritius, Micronesia, Nepal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Serbia, Trinidad and Tobago and Vanuatu can be visited without Visa.
Electronic (e)-Visa: 18 countries including Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Georgia, Hong Kong (SAR China), Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Türkiye, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia can be visited by applying an e-Visa.
Visa on Arrival(VoA): 21 countries including Maldives, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Jordan, Laos and Myanmar are providing Indians visa on arrival
India’s Ranking in Asia: Within Asia, India ranks 9th on the Henley Passport Index 2025, reflecting relatively limited mobility compared to its regional peers.
Asia -Specific:
Dominance of Asian countries: Singapore and Japan have consistently ranked in the top 5 in recent years. China, ranked at 64th offers access to 82 countries.
- It is expanding its footprint in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America through visa waiver agreements under Belt and Road Initiative
(BRI).
Other Asian Countries: Countries like Sri Lanka (41 destinations, 98th), Bangladesh (38 destinations, 100th), Nepal (101st), and Pakistan (31 destinations, 103rd) lag due to limited diplomatic ties and slow visa liberalization policies.
About Henley & Partners:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Dr. Juerg Steffen
Headquarters – London, United Kingdom (UK)
Established – 1997
