The Cypriot passport has climbed to 13th place in the latest Henley Passport Index, published on July 21. Compared to the previous edition, Cyprus has moved up one position. Today, Cypriot citizens can travel to 175 destinations out of 227 without obtaining a visa in advance or by receiving a visa on arrival.
The ranking is published annually by the international consulting firm Henley & Partners, based on data from the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) Timatic system. The index compares 199 passports according to the number of destinations offering simplified entry. For Cyprus, this is one of the country's strongest performances since the index was first introduced. The highest position Cyprus has ever achieved was 12th place in 2012 and 2024, while its lowest ranking was 18th in 2010–2011. Since 2026, the methodology has been updated to include not only visa-free destinations but also countries where visas can be obtained upon arrival.
Which Countries Top the Global Passport Ranking?
Singapore continues to hold first place, with its citizens enjoying visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 192 destinations. Japan, South Korea, and the UAE share second place with access to 188 destinations. The UAE has shown particularly impressive progress, climbing three positions since the beginning of the year.
Sweden ranks third with access to 187 destinations, while fourth place is shared by 11 European countries, including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and Belgium, each offering access to 186 destinations. Greece ranks fifth alongside Austria, Malta, Portugal, and Switzerland, with access to 185 destinations. The United Kingdom has moved up to sixth place thanks to new agreements with China and Malawi, Canada ranks seventh, while the United States is in tenth place.
The Gap Between the World's Strongest and Weakest Passports Continues to Widen
Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the ranking, with its citizens able to travel to only 22 destinations without obtaining a visa in advance. It is followed by Syria (25), Iraq (28), and Pakistan (29).
The gap between the world's strongest and weakest passports has reached a record 170 destinations. At the same time, global mobility has improved significantly overall. In 2006, holders of the average passport could travel to just 58 countries, whereas today that figure has increased to 108 destinations.
The authors of the report also note that, despite growing opportunities for international travel, global stability continues to decline. Nevertheless, diplomatic relations, economic development, and international cooperation remain the key factors determining the strength of a national passport.