WASHINGOTN, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- For the first time since the Henley Passport Index was created 20 years ago, the United States has fallen out of the world's Top-10 most powerful passports -- ranking 12th alongside Malaysia.
Previously sitting at No. 1 in 2014, the U.S. passport provides visa-free access to 180 of 227 countries and territories, but only allows for 46 countries and territories access to the United States visa-free or with little restriction. But that isn't enough to achieve a higher ranking.
Compared to Singapore, South Korea and Japan, which occupy the Top-3 spots, the United States has far less reciprocity, according to Henley & Partners, a London-based global citizenship and residency advisory firm that specializes in investment migration programs.
The Henley Passport Index is updated monthly using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association, ranking passports by the number of countries holders can enter without a prior visa. The index includes 199 passport and 227 travel destinations.
Henley analysts attribute the U.S. drop in rank to recent losses of visa-free access, such as for Brazil, and not being included in China's expanding visa-free list.
