Singapore, Japan topple Germany to lead passport index

Japan and Singapore passports now leading on Henley index

The dominance of European passports in mobility indexes has been markedly challenged, as two separate rankings, within weeks, saw Germany’s top position usurped and filled by not one but two Asian nations.

After South Korea pulled into the lead with Singapore on the Passport Power Index, Singapore has now knocked Germany off the top spot of the 2018 Henley Passport Index. The city-state is joined by Japan, with citizens of both Asian nations now enjoying visa-free access to a record 180 destinations.

Japan and Singapore passports now leading on Henley index

The German passport is now the second most powerful globally, providing its citizens with access to 179 destinations worldwide.

Both Singapore and Japan rose to the top of the index after, among other developments, Uzbekistan lifted visa requirements for nationals of both countries in early February.

“The improvement in ranking for both Singapore and Japan highlight that the region has become recognised as a dominant player and that traditional power has shifted. The uncertainty of the EU market may encourage more focus on countries such as Singapore and Japan given their increasing economic stability and global mobility,” commented Dominic Volek, managing partner of Henley & Partners Singapore and head of Southeast Asia.

In general, the Asian and Middle East regions have in recent months seen high levels of visa-policy activity compared with their European and American counterparts, where the signing of new cross-border agreements on short-term travel has been far less frequent, a Henley Partners statement pointed out.

Over the past year, China and Indonesia have also made great strides, each gaining access to 13 additional destinations and climbing 11 and 10 positions on the index respectively.

Parag Khanna, senior fellow at the Centre on Asia and Globalisation at the National University of Singapore, further observed: “The most recent rankings also show promising gains for South Korea and Malaysia. South Korea has edged ahead of Australia and New Zealand, reflecting its pattern of international commercial prowess in the mould of Japan. Malaysia has gained ground on most EU members, with its businesses now reaching across Asia and Africa.”

Parag says the power of Asian nations is growing steadily, and predicts that the region’s powers will “use the combination of commercial expansion and reciprocal entry policies” to ascend the Henley Passport Index.

Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan sit at the bottom of the Henley Passport Index, each still only able to access 30 or fewer destinations visa-free.

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