A trio of Asian passports gives their holders greater international travel freedom than any other country, according to a new quarterly report released by London-based global citizenship and residency consultancy Henley & Partners.
Japanese nationals enjoy visa-free or on-demand access to a record 193 destinations worldwide, just ahead of Singapore and South Korea, whose citizens can freely visit 192 countries.
Below the top three Asian countries, the ranking continues with a large number of European countries at the top. Germany and Spain are tied for 190 destinations where their citizens do not need visas, followed by Finland, Italy and Luxembourg with 189 destinations.
Then there are Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden, all tied for fifth place, while France, Ireland, Portugal and the United Kingdom share sixth place.
New Zealand and the United States appear at number 7, along with Belgium, Norway, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
Afghan nationals are again at the bottom of the index and can only enter 27 countries without needing to apply for a visa in advance.
Latin America
Among Latin American countries, Chile remains at the regional forefront, ranking 18th with 174 destinations. Y Argentina and Brazil are in position 20, with 170 destinations accessible without a visa.
Mexico is in 25th place, with 159 destinations, and Uruguay is in 29th place with 153 destinations.
The least powerful passports in the region are those of Ecuador (rank 59, with 92 destinations), Bolivia (rank 66, 80 destinations) and Cuba (rank 80, 65 destinations).
better passports
1. Japan (193 destinations)
2. Singapore, South Korea (192 destinations)
3. Germany, Spain (190 destinations)
4. Finland, Italy, Luxembourg (189 destinations)
5. Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden (188 destinations)
6. France, Ireland, Portugal, United Kingdom (187 destinations)
7. Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United States, Czech Republic (186 destinations)
8. Australia, Canada, Greece, Malta (185 destinations)
9. Hungary, Poland (184 destinations)
10. Lithuania, Slovakia (183 destinations)
Source: Clarin
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.