Most powerful passport holders still need visas in some countries

Passports of some countries are so powerful that their citizens can travel to most parts of the world without obtaining a visa in advance.

At present, Singapore’s passport tops this list as its holders enjoy visa-free access to 193 destinations worldwide. However, there are still certain countries where Singaporean citizens must obtain a visa beforehand.

One of the most well-known compilers of the global passport power ranking is the London-based firm Henley & Partners, a consultancy specialising in investment migration.

The company has been publishing this index for the past 20 years.

According to its website, the index is based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and measures how many destinations a country’s passport allows its holders to enter without a prior visa or with visa-free/visa-on-arrival privileges.

In total, the ranking considers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations. The index is determined by counting how many of those 227 destinations can be entered without an advance visa using a given country’s passport.

In the 2025 Henley Passport Index, Singapore ranks first, with visa-free access to 193 out of 227 destinations. Some destinations, however, require advance visas from all foreign nationals, while others impose restrictions due to diplomatic tensions or specific visa policies.

In a few cases, travel bans are imposed for security reasons or due to ongoing conflicts and instability.

Destinations where Singaporean passport holders need a visa in advance
1. Afghanistan
2. Algeria
3. Bhutan
4. Cameroon
5. Central African Republic
6. Chad
7. Republic of the Congo
8. Democratic Republic of the Congo
9. Guinea-Bissau
10. Eritrea
11. Falkland Islands
12. India
13. Iraq
14. Liberia
15. Libya
16. Mali
17. Mauritania
18. Nauru
19. Niger
20. Nigeria
21. North Korea
22. Pakistan
23. Russia
24. São Tomé and Príncipe
25. Somalia
26. South Sudan
27. Sudan
28. Syria
29. Togo
30. Turkmenistan
31. Ukraine
32. Venezuela
33. Yemen
Source: Henley & Partners