The United Kingdom has suffered the steepest year-on-year fall of any nation in global passport rankings, losing visa-free access to eight destinations in just 12 months as its travel clout continues to weaken.
Britain now sits at number seven on the Henley Passport Index with access to 182 countries — trailing behind 26 nations including Singapore, Japan, South Korea and a host of European neighbours.
The United States fared little better, dropping visa-free access to seven destinations over the same period. America has slipped to number 10, its lowest position in two decades, with 37 countries now outranking it.
Singapore claimed top spot with visa-free access to 192 of 227 tracked destinations, followed by Japan and South Korea on 188.
Five European nations — Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland — share third place with 186 destinations each.
The UAE emerged as the standout performer over the index’s 20-year history, adding 149 visa-free destinations since 2006 and climbing 57 places. Henley attributed the rise to sustained diplomatic engagement and visa liberalisation.
Misha Glenny, rector of the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, said passport power reflected political stability and diplomatic credibility. He suggested the erosion of mobility rights for the US and UK signalled “deeper geopolitical recalibration” amid strained transatlantic relations and volatile domestic politics.
At the bottom of the rankings, Afghanistan remains in last place with access to just 24 destinations — a gap of 168 countries from top-ranked Singapore.
Henley & Partners, which compiled the index, said Americans accounted for 30 per cent of its citizenship advisory business in 2025.
