With visa-free access to 30 countries, Pakistan’s passport has been ranked at the 100th spot, a very low, in the world by the Henley Passport Index in the latest rankings. The Henley Passport Index compares 199 different passports across 227 different travel destinations, and calculates the score based on the number of destinations that can be accessed visa-free.
There are only three countries below Pakistan in this ranking and Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan rank lower than it. One reason for Afghanistan ranking lower than Pakistan to its east is that no country recognises the Taliban government which assumed power on August 15, 2021, almost five years ago.
Several countries share same spot on the rankings table with Singapore remaining the most powerful passport in the world. It was earlier also, for the past few years, considered one of the most desirable passports in the world.
At the second spot, there are three countries, Japan, South Korea and United Arab Emirates (UAE). At number three is Sweden while at the fourth spot, there are several European nations like Belgium and Switzerland, no less than 12 European Union (EU) nations.
The systematic and silent manner in which the UAE has expelled expatriate Pakistanis from its soil will push it more towards poverty as its foreign exchange remittances are likely to be impacted, sooner rather than later.
The US led by President Donald Trump is at number 10 and shares this ranking with Iceland.
A Decade of Low Rank for Pakistan
Over the past decade, Pakistan has remained close to the bottom of the rankings, although its position has steadily improved since 2021. In the near future too, it is likely to remain stuck in the same lowly spot due to its worsening violence leading to casualties, particularly fatalities, suicide bombings and such others.
The report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), which was released some days ago, had expressed concerns about shrinking space for dissent in the society. This will add to and affect Pakistan’s rankings and one of the most negative things regarding Pakistan is the rise of security forces who wield power without accountability.
In January, Pakistan’s rank had improved marginally, rising a couple of notches to 98th, up from the 103rd spot in 2025. In the current rankings, only Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan have scored lower.
In February 2026, Pakistani citizens had access to 32 destinations, up from 31 in January following the reinstatement of The Gambia. However, the latest May ranking reduces the total to 30 destinations, highlighting ongoing adjustments in global visa policies and bilateral travel arrangements.
Singapore Topper, Japan & UAE Second
The list is dominated by Asian countries, with Singapore retaining its position, while Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates were tied on second place. Sweden places third, being the highest ranked European nation.
A dozen European nations, including France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, are tied for fourth place. Meanwhile, the US comes in at No 10 and that does not say much positive about it as it was considered a dream destination once. During his second tenure, Donal Trump’s policies, particularly his involvement in many conflicts around the world, have created many problems in the international arena.
