(Image source from: dailyhunt.in)

The Indian passport featured on the 84th position among the world’s most travel-friendly passport index 2020 that has been released by the Henley Passport Index on Wednesday. The Henley Passport Index periodically ranks the world’s most travel-friendly passports. This says that free-visa entry can be done 58 destinations worldwide which means that the passport holders can access 58 countries around the world with no prior passport. The rank has improved from 86th position in 2019.

While Japan continues to top the list for three consecutive years being the world’s most powerful passport as it fetches visa-free access to 191 countries. It is followed by Singapore on the second and the third position has been shared by Germany and South Korea.

Chairman of Henley & Partners, Dr Christian H Kaelin who is said to be the founder of the passport index concept said, that the latest ranking shall provide “a fascinating insight into a rapidly changing world.”

The ranking of the world’s top 10 most powerful passports:

1.Japan: Visa-free entry to 191 countries

2.Singapore:190 countries

3.Germany, south Korea: 189 countries

4.Finland, Italy: 188 countries

5.Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain: 187 countries

6.France, Sweden: 186 countries

7.Austria, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland: 185countries

8.Belgium, Greece, Norway, UK, USA: 184 countries

9.Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Malta, New Zealand : 183 countries

10.Hungary, Lithuania, Slovakia : 181 countries

India’s passport ranking has dropped two places from being 86th position in 2019 to 84th position in 2020 and is sharing the position along with Mauritania and Tajikistan.

According to the Henley Passport Index 2020 report, the world’s worst passport is the passport of Afghanistan which gives visa-free access to 26 countries which is followed by Iraq giving visa-free access to 28 countries. Pakistan stood in the 4th position under the world’s worst passport tagged along with Palestinian Territory giving visa-free access to 32 countries.

By Shrithika Kushangi