The American passport ranked 12th globally, equal to Malaysia, after being ranked 7th last year and 10th last July. Ten years ago, it was considered one of the strongest passports worldwide. A Western newspaper quoted Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners and creator of the index, saying this decline reflects a significant shift in the dynamics of soft power and global mobility. Open countries are advancing while those relying on previous privileges are declining.
Asian countries led the ranking, with the top position allowing entry to 193 destinations without a visa, followed by South Korea (190 destinations) and Japan (189 destinations), confirming Asia’s continued superiority in open travel policies. In April, some countries revoked visa exemptions for Americans due to the lack of reciprocity, while countries like China and Vietnam expanded visa exemptions but excluded the United States.
According to the Henley Index, the United States allows visa-free entry for only 46 nationalities, while an American citizen can travel to 180 countries without a visa. This lack of reciprocity weakens the symbolic power of the American passport, as countries imposing restrictions on others while granting wide privileges to their citizens tend to rank lower in international rankings.
