New Delhi: Even as the world battles the Covid-19 pandemic, Japan and Singapore top the list of being the most powerful passport in the world for 2022.
This comes to the fore as London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners, based on data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), released the Henley Passport Index for the year 2022.
Without taking evolving and temporary Covid-related restrictions into account, the passport holders of the two Asian nations can now enter 192 destinations around the world visa-free.
"The latest #HenleyPassportIndex shows record-breaking levels of #travelfreedom but also the widest recorded global mobility gap since the index’s inception 17 years ago: henleyglobal.com/newsroom/press
Germany and South Korea hold onto joint second spot on the latest ranking, with passport holders able to access 190 destinations visa-free.
Finland, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain share the third place, with a score of 189.
The United States and the UK passports have regained some of their previous strength after falling all the way to eighth place in 2020 – the lowest spot held by either country in the index’s 17-year history. Both countries now sit in the sixth place, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 186.
India has improved its ranking in the most powerful passport report with a visa-free score of 60. The country is currently placed at the 83rd position from the earlier 90th position.
With a visa-free score of 26 and 28 respectively, Afghanistan and Iraq continue to be in the ‘worst passports to hold’ category.
Covid-19, according to the report, has exacerbated inequality in global mobility
Dr Christian H. Kaelin, Henley & Partners chairman and the inventor of the passport index concept, said the opening up migration channels is essential for post-pandemic recovery.
“Passports and visas are among the most important instruments impacting on social inequality worldwide as they determine opportunities for global mobility. The borders within which we happen to be born, and the documents we are entitled to hold, are no less arbitrary than our skin color,” said Kaelin.
“Wealthier states need to encourage positive inward migration in an effort to help redistribute and rebalance human and material resources worldwide, including improving the size and quality of their own workforces,” he added.