Austria among the top 3: The most powerful passports in the world

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Being able to move freely around the world and travel to almost any country without any problems is a privilege that we almost take for granted. But this freedom to travel is not a given in every country. Every year, the British consultancy firm “Henley & Partners” selects the most powerful passport in the world. The “Passport Ranking” is based on the criterion of how many countries passport holders can enter without a visa. Austria is also among the leaders.

These are the most powerful passports in the world in 2024
The ranking shows how valuable citizenship, a good social system, and freedom to travel can be. Singapore is the sole leader of the most powerful passports. Holders of this passport can enter as many as 195 countries without having to apply for a visa. The second place is shared by Germany, Italy, Spain, France, and Japan, with 192 visa-free countries. Compared to the last ranking in January 2024, this is two countries less.

The Austrian passport is one of the most valuable in the world
The Austrian passport is still one of the most valuable in the world. In the index, our passport is ranked third together with Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Sweden. Citizens of these countries can enter 191 countries without a visa. In general, passports from European countries are far ahead in the international freedom to travel rankings.

The top 10 most powerful passports
1. Singapore: 195
2. France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain: 192
3. Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden: 191
4. Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom: 190
5. Australia, Portugal: 189
6. Greece, Poland: 188
7. Canada, Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta: 187
8. USA: 186
9. Estonia, Lithuania, United Arab Emirates: 185
10. Iceland, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia: 184

These countries have the least freedom to travel
According to the index, the gap between the top and bottom countries is greater this year than ever before. Unfortunately, there are also countries whose passports restrict rather than open up opportunities for their holders. Unsurprisingly, Iraq (31 destinations), Syria (29 destinations) and Afghanistan (28 destinations) are in the bottom three. Civil wars, a poor social system, and the Taliban regime are responsible for this negative balance.