Despite some improvement in its ranking, Pakistan’s passport continues to be among the weakest in the world, while passports from other Asian countries have emerged as some of the most powerful travel documents globally. Holders of the Pakistani passport have visa-free access to only 32 countries.
According to the Henley Passport Index 2025, Pakistan currently ranks 96th, positioned just above conflict-ridden nations like Somalia, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan.
Although the ranking remains significantly low, it has slightly improved. In 2024, the Pakistani passport was jointly ranked as the fourth weakest passport for the fourth consecutive year, alongside Yemen.
The Henley Passport Index compares 199 passports based on their visa-free access to 227 destinations worldwide and ranks them according to the number of countries their holders can enter without a prior visa.
Singapore, Japan, and South Korea top the list, while Afghanistan ranks at the bottom.
A passport receives one point if its holder does not require a visa to enter a country. The same applies if entry is permitted through a visa on arrival (VOA), visitor permit, or electronic travel authority (ETA).
However, if a visa is mandatory or if entry without a prior e-visa or government approval is not possible, the passport receives a score of zero.
Each passport’s total score is determined by the number of countries it can enter without a prior visa.
Singapore currently holds the top position, followed by Japan and South Korea jointly in second place. Seven European Union countries, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain, share the third spot.
Another group of seven European nations ranks fourth, while Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, New Zealand, Greece, and Switzerland share the fifth position.
The UK and the US have each lost one position since January, reflecting a long-term decline. Once considered the most powerful passports, Britain in 2015 and the US in 2014 now rank sixth and tenth, respectively.
India has shown the most improvement over the past six months, rising from 85th to 77th position, while Saudi Arabia has made the biggest leap in terms of visa-free access.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has also made remarkable progress, jumping from 42nd to 8th place in the last decade, becoming the only major country in the top 10.
Another noteworthy country is China, which has climbed from 94th position in 2015 to 60th, despite not yet having visa-free access to the Schengen area of Europe.
