by Maximiliano Crocamo
Italy has secured a spot among the world’s top three most powerful passports, according to the latest edition of the Henley Passport Index, a global ranking compiled by the London-based consulting firm Henley & Partners.
The 2025 report places Italy in joint third position, alongside six other European countries—Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Ireland and Spain. Citizens of these nations currently enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 189 destinations worldwide.
The Henley Passport Index, established in 2006, is based on data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and evaluates the travel freedom granted by 199 different passports to 227 global destinations.
Singapore once again topped the index, with its passport granting visa-free access to 193 countries. Japan and South Korea followed in second place, each offering entry to 190 destinations without requiring a visa in advance.
The latest rankings also highlight a slight decline for both the United Kingdom and the United States. The British passport now ranks sixth, down one position from last year, offering access to 186 countries. The U.S. passport fell to 10th place, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 182 destinations. Both nations once held the top position—Britain from 2013 to 2015, prior to Brexit, and the United States in 2014.
At the other end of the spectrum, Afghanistan’s passport remains the least powerful in the world, granting visa-free access to only a handful of countries.
