Taipei: The Republic of China (Taiwan) passport has been ranked 33rd globally, providing visa-free access to 139 destinations, as per the latest Henley Passport Index released on Tuesday. This ranking places Taiwan eighth in the Asia-Pacific region, positioned behind Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Brunei, and Macau, but ahead of China, which ranks 60th overall.
According to Focus Taiwan, the 2025 Henley Passport Index reveals that Singapore holds the title of the world’s most powerful passport, with visa-free access to 193 out of 227 possible destinations. Japan and South Korea follow closely, sharing the second position with their citizens enjoying visa-free entry to 190 destinations.
China’s passport, on the other hand, ranks 60th, offering visa-free access to 83 destinations. Hong Kong (SAR China) is ranked 17th, with its passport holders able to enter 169 destinations visa-free, while Macau (SAR China) is placed 31st with access to 144 destinations without a visa.
The Henley Passport Index, compiled by the London-based investment migration firm Henley and Partners, utilizes data from the International Air Transport Association to assess the power of 199 passports across 227 travel destinations. Each passport is awarded one point for every destination where the holder can enter without a visa or obtain a visa, visitor’s permit, or electronic travel authority on arrival, as these do not require pre-departure government approval.
As highlighted in a press release by the company, the United States and the United Kingdom have each slipped one spot since January, now ranking sixth with access to 186 destinations and 10th with 184, respectively. India made a significant leap over the past six months, moving from 85th to 77th place with access to 59 visa-free destinations. Saudi Arabia also saw gains, adding four destinations since January to reach 91 and climbing to 54th in the rankings.
European countries dominate most of the top five positions, with Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain all tied for third place with visa-free access to 189 destinations. Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden share fourth place, offering access to 188 destinations. Greece, Switzerland, and New Zealand rank fifth, providing visa-free entry to 187 destinations.
Afghanistan is ranked last, with access to a mere 25 visa-free destinations, which is 168 fewer than top-ranked Singapore.