Have you got the most powerful passport for 2023?

Written by: Poppy Skinner Created: 16 January 2023

The Henley group's quarterly report is out and so is the decision on who holds the most powerful passport for 2023.

The Henley Passport Index has issued its quarterly report of the most powerful passports for 2023. For the fifth consecutive year, the Japanese Passport has acquired the title of the World’s Most Powerful Passport with the holders having visa-on-arrival or visa-free access to 193 countries. Singapore, which remains at second place, currently has visa-free access to 192 countries.

The Henley Passport Index is the administrative ranking of all the passports of the world. The index is based on confidential data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which is the most definite and biggest travel information database.

With border restrictions lifting in almost every country across the world, post-covid travel is at its peak with demand seeing unprecedented highs. For the first report of 2023, Asian countries have topped the list released by the Henley Passport Index with Japan in first position, followed by Singapore and South Korea in the second position. When it comes to Europe, Germany and Spain are tied in third place with 190 visa-free access countries with Finland, Italy and Luxembourg in fourth at 189, Austria,Denmark and Netherlands at 188 and France, Ireland and UK in sixth place with 187.

Lurking all the way at the bottom are the likes of Afghanistan, North Korea and Iraq with 27, 40 and 32 visa cleared entries respectively. 

Written by: Poppy Skinner

Poppy covers a wide range of topics at Billionaire, having spent the past 13 years at companies including Singapore Tatler, Her World Plus and Harpers Bazaar UK. She has a passion for fashion, jewellery and travel as well as an avaricious fascination with crime novels. Follow her at poppypskinner on Instagram.