A decade ago, the United States passport was seen as the most powerful in the world by the Henley Passport Index , which ranks nations based on the number of destinations a traveler can visit without needing a visa.

In 2025, however, the U.S. passport has fallen from grace, dropping out of the top 10 most powerful passports globally for the first time in 20 years.

The U.S. passport dropped from 7th place in 2024 and is now tied with Malaysia for 12th place, with 180 countries a traveler can enter without a visa .

Read more: What Makes Some Passports More Powerful Than Others?

Three East Asian countries now top the list of the most powerful passports, with Singapore, South Korea, and Japan having visa-free access to 193, 190, and 189 countries, respectively. Germany, Luxembourg

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