A New Zealand passport gives easy access to 183 countries and territories, compared to 190 last year, making it less powerful than last year.
New Zealand is ranked in the sixth tier of passport power, equal 24th alongside Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Malta and Poland.
Last year, New Zealand was in equal 17th place in the fifth tier, with easy access to 190 countries.
The Henley Passport Index for 2026 ranks the globe’s passports based on “exclusive Timatic data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA)”.
Singapore’s passport is the world’s most powerful, granting visa-free access to 192 destinations. Afghanistan ranked last again, with its passport holders able to travel to only 24 destinations without a visa in advance.
Japan and South Korea sit joint 2nd (188 destinations), followed by Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland in 3rd (186 destinations), and an unprecedented cluster of 10 European countries tied in 4th.
Outside Europe, the UAE ranks 5th, with Australia 7th, Canada 8th, and Malaysia 9th. Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria are among the weakest passports.
UK passport holders caught out
The 2026 Henley Passport Index has been released just as reports have emerged that dual-citizen Brits have been caught off guard by tighter UK entry requirements.
The drama hits those holding both British citizenship and another passport, who have long relied on their non-UK passport to enter Britain for family visits, holidays or urgent trips.
From late February 2026, dual British citizens will be expected to enter the UK using a valid UK passport (or official proof of entitlement to enter as a Brit), which has caught many off guard.
For some, their UK passport has been expired for years, while others never renewed it because they assumed their other passport was enough.
Now, travellers are scrambling to arrange renewals and worried they could be refused boarding by airlines if they arrive at the airport without the correct documents.
The timing has added to the drama, with new digital entry rules, such as the UK’s electronic travel authorisation (ETA) system, creating further confusion.
Dual citizens can’t simply apply for an ETA like other travellers, meaning they must have the correct passport ready.
Passport Index underscores deeper issues
“Passport power ultimately reflects political stability, diplomatic credibility, and the ability to shape international rules”, says Misha Glenny, award-winning journalist and Rector of the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna.
“As transatlantic relations strain and domestic politics grow more volatile, the erosion of mobility rights for countries like the US and UK is less a technical anomaly than a signal of deeper geopolitical recalibration.”
The UK and the US were once tied for the top spot in 2014. The US returned to the top ten this year after dropping out for the first time since the Index launched in late 2025.
Although US passport holders can travel visa-free to 179 destinations, the United States grants visa-free entry to just 46 nationalities, ranking 78th out of 199 countries and territories on the Henley Openness Index.
This gap between outbound freedom and inbound openness is among the largest in the world, second only to Australia and slightly wider than the differences seen in Canada, New Zealand, and Japan.
In contrast, China now granted visa-free access to over 40 additional countries over just the last two years. “There is a visible shift underway in the global balance of power, marked by China’s renewed openness and the USA’s retreat into nationalism”, says Dr Tim Klatte, Partner at Grant Thornton China.
“As countries increasingly compete for influence through mobility, openness is becoming a critical component of soft power.”
Over the last decade, the passport privilege gap has widened by 50 countries. In 2006, the difference between the United States and Afghanistan was 118 destinations. Now the gap is 168.
Global mobility uneven
Though global mobility has increased and our society is generally globalised, the Index shows a widening gap in passport privilege.
Dr Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman at Henley & Partners and creator of the Henley Passport Index, says that over the past two decades, global mobility has indeed expanded significantly, but the benefits have been distributed unevenly.
The Henley Passport Index launched in 2005 as Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index, becoming the Passport Index in 2008.
“Today, passport privilege plays a decisive role in shaping opportunity, security, and economic participation, with rising average access masking a reality in which mobility advantages are
increasingly concentrated among the world’s most economically powerful and politically stable nations.”
This widening gap is especially concerning given the growing demand for international travel. IATA forecasts that airlines will carry more than 5.2 billion passengers globally this year.
“A record number of people are expected to travel in 2026. The unequivocal economic and social benefits generated by this travel grow as it becomes more accessible,” says IATA Director General Willie Walsh.
“But while more people have the economic freedom to travel, many nationalities are seeing that a passport alone is no longer sufficient to cross borders.
“As many governments look to more tightly secure their borders, technological advances such as digital ID and digital passports should not be overlooked by policymakers. Convenient travel and secure borders are possible.”
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