Global Passport Rankings 2024: European Nations Lead Henley Index with Strongest Travel Freedom

Arton Capital’s Passport Index, marking its 10th anniversary, has released its 2024 rankings of the world’s most powerful passports. Believe it or not, the American passport is not at the top of the list. In fact, it did not even come in the top ten. It was an Arab country that topped the list.

For the fourth consecutive year, the United Arab Emirates led the index with a mobility score of 180, granting its citizens access to over 90% of the globe.

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Meanwhile, the United States’ passport ranking continued to decline, falling to 38th in 2024 from 27th the previous year, a significant drop from its top-20 position in 2019. With the incoming Trump administration, it remains to be seen how the US will address this decline. Currently the lowest-ranked passport among G7 nations, the administration has an incentive to improve its standing. Despite this decline, the US passport still holds significantly more power than China’s, which ranks 110th on the Index.

European countries generally perform very strongly in passport rankings. Many occupy top positions in various indexes. For example, in the 2024 Passport Index, Spain overtook Germany to reach 2nd place, while Finland also rose in the ranks, surpassing countries like France and Italy to take 3rd place.

Hrant Boghossian, co-founder of the Passport Index, commented: “The World Openness Score remained flat this year – the post-Covid recovery jump we noticed in the past few years is truly over.

“Unsurprisingly, European passports are overwhelmingly the best ranked, ahead of larger economies like the United States and China. Nearly all countries in the Balkans experienced growth in their mobility this year, a positive trend in the region we hope will continue.

“Geopolitical factors including elections and conflicts continue to influence global mobility. Despite this, we are still seeing countries collaborate and governments recognize the opportunities that visa-free agreements represent.”

“Our unrivaled expertise as advisers to the world’s global citizens allows us to assist our clients as they navigate the complex landscape of global mobility. We offer them the unparalleled support and service they need to experience a seamless, global life.”, added Armand Arton, President and CEO of Arton Capital.