(Image: dfa.ie)Japan tops the list of world’s most powerful passports in 2020.
Asian countries continue to dominate the list of the most powerful passports in the world, the latest Henley Passport Index has revealed.
Japan has topped the list for the third consecutive year, followed by Singapore and South Korea.
The Irish passport ranks as the seventh most powerful in the world, along with Switzerland, Portugal, The Netherlands and Austria.
While the UK's ranking of eighth, marks a steep decline from the No.1 position it held for three years running from 2013 to 2015.
The list was compiled by the Henley Passport Index, which analyses how many countries a passport holder can enter visa free or on a visa-on-arrival basis.
The US passport, also ranked eighth, joined the top spot in 2014 but has slipped since.
On the other end of the scale, the lowest ranked passports were Somalia, Pakistan, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Dr Christian Kaelin, the creator of the index and chairman of Henley and Partners, said Asian countries’ dominance in the index was a “clear argument for the benefits of open-door policies and the introduction of mutually beneficial trade agreements”.
“Over the past few years, we have seen the world adapt to mobility as a permanent condition of global life,” he said.
“The latest rankings show that the countries that embrace this reality are thriving, with their citizens enjoying ever-increasing passport power and the array of benefits that come with it.”
The Henley Passport Index is the most recognised because it uses data from the International Air Transport Association and provides an easy way for travellers to know where they can travel without a visa.
The best passports to hold in 2020 are:
1. Japan (191 destinations)
2. Singapore (190)
3. South Korea, Germany (189)
4. Italy, Finland (188)
5. Spain, Luxembourg, Denmark (187)
6. Sweden, France (186)
7. Switzerland, Portugal, Netherlands, Ireland, Austria (185)
8. United States, United Kingdom, Norway, Greece, Belgium (184)
9. New Zealand, Malta, Czech Republic, Canada, Australia (183)
10. Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary (181)
The worst passports to hold are:
100. North Korea, Sudan (39 destinations)
101. Nepal, Palestinian Territory (38)
102. Libya (37)
103. Yemen (33)
104. Somalia, Pakistan (32)
105. Syria (29)
106. Iraq (28)
107. Afghanistan (26)
