Japanese Passport Holds the Most Visa-Free Access in the World

Japanese passport holders can visit 193 countries visa-free, making the Japanese passport the most powerful in the world.

Second and third place are still occupied by Asian countries. Singaporean passport holders have visa-free access to 192 countries. South Korean passports grant visa-free access to 191 countries.

The following rankings are dominated by European countries. Germany, for example, has a passport with visa-free access to 191 countries.

Finnish, Spanish, and Luxembourg passports each have visa-free access to 190 countries. Danish and Austrian passports offer visa-free access to 189 countries.

Asian countries reappear after the top 30. Malaysia is ranked 35th, as its passport allows visa-free travel to 179 countries.

The United Arab Emirates is ranked 41st because its passport can be used visa-free in 174 countries. Meanwhile, Hong Kong is ranked 46th, with its passport providing visa-free access to 171 countries.

With visa-free access, passport holders do not need to process and pay for a visa before departure. Visas can be obtained on arrival or by using an electronic travel authorization (ETA).