What makes a powerful passport? The annual Henley Passport Index ranks passports based on the number of destinations the passport holder can enter without a prior visa. While the U.S. is still one of the stronger passports, it has dropped in the rankings once again for 2024, continuing a ten-year slide from number one in 2014.

　　A U.S. passport holder enjoys access to 186 out of 227 destinations around the world visa-free. By comparison, Singapore ranks as number one in the Index, with passport holders gaining access to 195 destinations without a prior visa. France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Spain share the number two spot with each granting visa-free access to 192 destinations. At number three are Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea and Sweden with 191 destinations. The U.K., Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland rank number four with 190.

　　A lack of reciprocity brings the U.S. down in passport strength. While U.S. passport holders can access 186 destinations, the U.S. only allows 45 other nationalities to enter the country without a visa. This puts the U.S. at number 78 in the Henley Openness Index. The gap between the countrys ranking in the Passport Index compared to the Openness Index is the second biggest globally, behind Australia and just ahead of Canada.

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