The slide follows the loss of visa-free access to a number of nations, according to the Henley ranking
The US has fallen out of the top ten for most powerful passports, according to the latest Henley Passport Index, which measures global travel freedom based on the number of destinations accessible without a visa.
Henley & Partners, a London-based citizenship and residency consultancy, has compiled the rankings for 20 years using International Air Transport Association data. The US passport, which topped the list in 2014 and ranked seventh last year, has now dropped to 12th, tied with Malaysia.
Henley said the decline stems from lost visa-free access to Brazil and China over reciprocity issues with the US, as well as policy changes in Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Somalia. The firm also cited low visa openness, noting that while Americans can visit 180 of 227 destinations visa-free, the US grants the same privilege to only 46 countries.
“The declining strength of the US passport over the past decade is more than just a reshuffle in rankings – it signals a fundamental shift in global mobility and soft power dynamics,” said the firm’s chairman Christian H. Kaelin. “Nations that embrace openness and cooperation are surging ahead, while those resting on past privilege are being left behind.”
Henley also linked the drop to US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, which began with illegal migration and drug trafficking but expanded to stricter rules for tourists, foreign workers, and students. The firm cited the recent visa restrictions for travelers from 19 countries and threats to ban up to 36 more as key factors in the decline.
“Trump’s return to power has brought fresh trade conflicts that weaken America’s mobility,” said Dr. Tim Klatte, partner at Grant Thornton China.
Three Asian countries lead the index: Singapore with 193 visa-free destinations, South Korea with 190, and Japan with 189. Accounting for tied scores, 36 nations outrank the US, including all EU members, the UK, Switzerland, Canada, and the UAE. Russia ranks 50th with 114 visa-free destinations.
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