World passport ranking for 2026: Kosovo holds the 60th position

Singapore continues to dominate the Henley Passport Index for the second consecutive year, even though European countries occupy a significant part of the list.

At the top of the ranking is Singapore with visa-free access to 192 countries, while in second place are three countries: Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates, whose citizens travel freely to 188 destinations, Euronews reports.

This index, which relies on statistics from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to calculate how many countries citizens can enter without a prior visa, is celebrating its 20th anniversary with this edition.

Sweden secured third place thanks to 187 visa-accessible destinations. Right behind, with 186 destinations each, come Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain.

The group of the top five is completed by Austria, Greece, Malta, Portugal, and Switzerland.

Although 29 European nations feature among the ten strongest passports, some of them still struggle to keep pace.

Belarusian citizens can travel visa-free to only 78 countries, placing it in 62nd position. Kosovo’s passport is slightly higher, at 60th place alongside China, offering holders the possibility to travel to 83 countries.

However, Kosovo has made remarkable progress in recent years, climbing 35 places in the ranking since 2016.

The United Arab Emirates stand out as the nation with the most spectacular progress over the past two decades. Today, they hold second place globally, after climbing 60 positions and expanding access to 153 additional destinations.

Last year, the Emirates were ranked tenth, but they have now overtaken the United Kingdom, which has fallen to sixth place.

The United States remains in 10th place with 180 destinations, keeping the same position as in 2025, when it recorded its lowest-ever level in this ranking.

Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners, emphasized that a passport’s strength today deeply affects individuals’ opportunities, security, and economic integration, adding that the benefits of global mobility are increasingly concentrated in nations with significant economic and political weight.