Pakistani Passport
KARACHI: While many Asian nations continue to climb the ranks of the world’s most powerful passports, Pakistan’s travel document still remains among the weakest globally. According to the 2025 Henley Passport Index, the Pakistani passport ranks 96th out of 199 evaluated, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to only 32 destinations.
Although the ranking represents a slight improvement from previous years, the Pakistani passport remains near the bottom of the global list, ahead of only a handful of countries grappling with armed conflict and humanitarian crises — namely Somalia, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. In 2024, Pakistan was tied with Yemen for the fourth-worst ranking, continuing a trend that has seen limited movement for the country in recent years.
The Henley Passport Index is a globally respected ranking that measures the strength of passports based on how many destinations their holders can access without obtaining a visa in advance. It takes into account 227 destinations and evaluates 199 different passports.
A passport earns one point if it allows visa-free access, visa-on-arrival, electronic travel authority (ETA), or a visitor permit upon entry. If advance government approval or a traditional visa is required, no point is awarded.
Topping the 2025 index is Singapore, with its citizens enjoying unparalleled access to global destinations. Close behind are Japan and South Korea in second place. Several European Union countries — including France, Germany, Italy, and Spain — share third place. Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, and others form a strong European bloc at fourth.
Notably, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has made remarkable progress, climbing from 42nd to 8th place over the past decade. China has also risen significantly, moving from 94th to 60th since 2015 despite lacking visa-free access to the Schengen Area.
India, Pakistan’s neighbor, saw the most significant jump in the latest update, moving up eight spots from 85th to 77th. Meanwhile, both the United States and the United Kingdom continue to fall in the rankings. Once ranked among the world’s most powerful passports in 2014 and 2015 respectively, the U.S. now ranks 10th and the U.K. 6th.
While Pakistan’s minor improvement in ranking may signal a positive trend, the country continues to face major challenges in global mobility, underscoring the need for stronger diplomatic ties and more strategic visa agreements.
