Two decades after the launch of the Henley Passport Index, the U.S. passport has dropped out of the global top 10 for the first time. Ranked No. 1 in 2014, it now sits in 12th place—tied with Malaysia—granting visa-free entry to 180 of 227 destinations.
The Asian trifecta of Singapore (access to 193 destinations visa-free), South Korea (190 destinations) and Japan (189 destinations) now occupy the top three spots on the index powered by exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and ranking all the world’s passports based on the number of destinations their holders can enter without a prior visa.
The U.S. passport’s drop from 10th to 12th place on the Henley Passport Index stems from a series of recent access changes. The loss of visa-free entry to Brazil in April, following a breakdown in reciprocity, and the U.S. being excluded from China’s expanding visa-free list marked the start of its decline. Subsequent adjustments by Papua New Guinea and Myanmar further eroded the U.S. score, while Somalia’s new eVisa system and Vietnam’s decision to omit the U.S. from its latest visa-free program ultimately pushed it out of the top 10.
Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners and creator of the Henley Passport Index, said in a media statement that these seemingly small changes have had outsized consequences—underscoring just how finely balanced the global mobility landscape has become. “The declining strength of the U.S. 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. Nations that embrace openness and cooperation are surging ahead, while those resting on past privilege are being left behind.”
While American passport holders can currently access 180 destinations visa-free, the US itself allows only 46 other nationalities to enter without a visa. This puts it way down in 77th place on the Henley Openness Index, which ranks all 199 countries and territories worldwide according to the number of nationalities they permit entry to without a prior visa.
The gap between the U.S.’s visa-free access and its overall openness ranks among the widest in the world—second only to Australia and just ahead of Canada, New Zealand, and Japan. Notably, all five nations with the greatest imbalance between the travel freedom they enjoy and the access they grant have seen their passport rankings either stagnate or decline over the past decade.
Annie Pforzheimer, Sr. Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, noted in a media statement that America’s retreat is rooted in politics. “Even before a second Trump presidency, U.S. policy had turned inward. That isolationist mindset is now being reflected in America’s loss of passport power.”
The decline in U.S. passport strength has sparked a surge in demand for alternative residence and citizenship options. According to Henley & Partners, Americans now represent the largest share of applicants for investment migration programs in 2025.
By the end of Q3, applications from U.S. nationals were already 67 percent higher than the total for 2024, which itself recorded a 60 percent year-on-year increase. Group Head of Private Clients at Henley & Partners, Dominic Volek, said in a media statement that the firm now has more American clients than the next four nationalities—Turkish, Indian, Chinese and British—combined. “Faced with unprecedented volatility, investors and wealthy American families are adopting a strategy of geopolitical arbitrage to acquire additional residence and citizenship options. They are hedging against jurisdictional risk and leveraging differences across countries to optimize personal, financial, and lifestyle outcomes.”
Prof. Peter J. Spiro of Temple University Law School in Philadelphia says while U.S. citizenship remains a valuable status, it’s no longer good enough as a standalone. “In coming years, more Americans will be acquiring additional citizenships in whatever way they can. Multiple citizenship is being normalized in American society. While it may be a bit of an exaggeration, as one social media poster recently put it, ‘dual citizenship is the new American dream.'”
