US Passport Falls Out Of Top 10 For First Time In 20 Years; Check Where India Stands As China Surges

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<p class=”pf0″><span class=”cf0″>For the first time in two decades, the United States passport has fallen out of the world&rsquo;s top 10 most powerful passports, according to the Henley Passport Index, a global ranking that measures the travel freedom of passports. </span><span class=”cf0″>Once ranked No. 1 in 2014, the US now sits 12th-</span><span class=”cf1″>tied with Malaysia. </span></p>
<p class=”pf0″><span class=”cf1″>Singapore, South Korea, and Japan top the latest rankings, granting visa-free entry to 193, 190, and 189 countries, respectively.</span></p>
<h2 class=”pf0″><!–StartFragment –><span class=”cf0″>Why The US passport Is Losing Strength</span><!–EndFragment –></h2>
<p class=”pf0″><span class=”cf1″>The decline of US passport strength reflects recent diplomatic and policy developments. Visa-free access to Brazil was revoked in April over reciprocity concerns, while Americans remain excluded from China&rsquo;s expanding visa-free list. Additional travel restrictions in countries including Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, Somalia, and Vietnam have further reduced the US passport&rsquo;s global reach.</span></p>
<p class=”pf0″><span class=”cf1″>Despite Americans&rsquo; wide-ranging access, the US allows only 46 nationalities to enter without a visa, ranking 77th on the Henley Openness Index. This discrepancy highlights the growing gap between the access Americans enjoy and the openness the US extends to others.</span><span class=”cf1″>Under President Trump, visa restrictions intensified.</span></p>
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<h2 class=”pf0″><span class=”cf0″>Americans Turn To Dual Citizenship</span></h2>
<p class=”pf0″><span class=”cf0″>The US passport&rsquo;s decline has fueled growing interest in second citizenships. Henley &amp; Partners reports a 67% surge in American participation in investment migration programs in Q3 2025 compared to the previous year, as citizens seek alternative passports to reclaim lost travel freedom.</span></p>
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<h2 class=”pf0″><span class=”cf1″>China&rsquo;s Rise Reshapes Global Mobility</span></h2>
<p class=”pf0″><span class=”cf1″>Meanwhile, China has climbed from 94th in 2015 to 64th in 2025, adding 37 visa-free destinations over the past decade. It now allows entry without a visa for 76 nations, including Russia, Gulf states, and parts of South America and Europe.</span></p>
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<h2 class=”pf0″><span class=”cf0″>India&rsquo;s Passport Continues To Lag</span></h2>
<p class=”pf0″><span class=”cf0″>India ranks 85th in the Henley Passport Index 2025, down five spots from last year&rsquo;s 80th position. The country&rsquo;s lowest ranking was 90th in 2021, while its best-ever position was 71st in 2006, highlighting persistent limitations in global mobility for Indian citizens.</span></p>
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