[ad_1]
Destinations where you don’t need a passport
These destinations allow travelers to feel like they’re traveling without having to carry a passport.
There is something called the Passport Power Ranking. And, spoiler alert, U.S. passports aren’t at the top.
According to the 2024 Henley Passport Index, citizens of six countries are currently thought to have the most powerful passports in the world: Japan, Singapore, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
It is the first time in the index’s 19 years that six countries will share the top spot, meaning index holders can travel visa-free to the most global destinations. Citizens will be able to visit 194 of the 227 destinations without a visa. .
South Korea, Sweden and Finland are close behind with access to 193 destinations. Austria, Denmark, Ireland and the Netherlands tied for third place with visa-free travel to 192 destinations.
US citizens have the seventh most powerful passport and can visit 188 destinations without a visa. In 2014, the United States maintained its top spot alongside the United Kingdom.
Over 80 of these countries require visas (Includes things the government wants to avoid)
Is it time to renew your passport? Passport wait times shortest since March 2020
The good news for people who are not nationals of these countries is that the overall trend in this index over the past 20 years has been an increase in travel freedom.
“The average number of destinations that travelers have visa-free access to has nearly doubled, from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024,” said Henry & Partners, Chairman of the Board. , Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, inventor of the Passport Index concept, said: press release.
The 2024 Henley Passport Index includes 199 passports and 227 travel destinations, and its rankings are based on “proprietary and official data” from the International Air Transport Association.
The fastest riser on the index was the United Arab Emirates, which added 106 destinations to its visa-free score over the past 10 years. It rose from 55th place in 2014 to 11th place this year.
But the global mobility gap between the most and least powerful countries has never been wider. The top countries can travel to 166 more destinations than the bottom country, Afghanistan, whose citizens can travel to only 28 countries without a visa. Above Afghanistan are Syria and Iraq, which allow visa-free travel to 29 and 31 destinations respectively.
According to the 2024 Henley Passport Index, the world’s most powerful passports are:
- France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain (access to 194 cities)
- Finland, South Korea, Sweden (access to 193 cities)
- Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands (access to 192 destinations)
- Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom (access to 191 cities)
- Greece, Malta, Switzerland (access to 190 destinations)
- Australia, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Poland (access to 189 cities)
- US, Canada, Hungary (access to 188 cities)
- Estonia, Lithuania (access to 187 destinations)
- Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia (access to 186 destinations)
- Iceland (access to 185 destinations)
Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. Please contact kwong@usatoday.com..
[ad_2]
Source link
