Declining strength of US passport, tied with Malaysia’s at 12th, signals ‘shift in global mobility’, says index creator
For the first time in two decades, the US has dropped out of the world’s top 10 most powerful passports, marking a significant dethroning for the global superpower.
According to the latest Henley Passport Index, a ranking that measures how many countries a traveler can visit without needing a visa, the US passport now ranks 12th globally, sharing the position with Malaysia.
Just last year, the US was in seventh place, before slipping to 10th in July of this year. Ten years ago, it was at the top of the list.
“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,” Christian H Kaelin, chair of Henley & Partners and creator of the index, said in a press release. “Nations that embrace openness and cooperation are surging ahead, while those resting on past privilege are being left behind.”
