by Jameelah Mullen
January 9, 2025
In 2014, The United States shared the No.1 position with the United Kingdom.
Henley Global has released its 2025 Henley Passport Index, which ranks 199 passports worldwide using data from the International Air Transport Association. The United States ranked ninth, down from 7th last year.
Some experts blame the decline on the current U.S. political climate.
“Even before the advent of a second Trump presidency, American political trends had become notably inward-looking and isolationist,” Annie Pforzheimer, senior associate at Washington thinktank, The Center for Strategic and International Studies, said to Forbes.
Dr. Tim Klatte, a partner in Grant Thornton China and an adjunct professor at Shanghai New York University, says that the Trump administration’s impending foreign policies will impact U.S. Passport rankings.
“The Trump-era trade wars will not only be viewed as bilateral disputes — they will serve as transformative events for the global economy. Disrupting trade flows, raising costs, and sowing uncertainty will require businesses, governments, and international institutions to adapt to a new reality. This strategy raises serious concerns about the fragmentation of the global economy and the potential for increased geopolitical tensions. Trump has not been shy about his foreign policy strategies, from Canada to China, and his direct approach will continue to present doubts in the confidence of the USA’s passport power moving forward, Klatte told Henley and Partners.
American passport holders can access 186 out of 227 destinations visa-free, but the U.S. allows only 46 other nationalities visa-free access to its borders. This lack of mutual exchange places the U.S. in the 84th spot on the Henley Openness Index.
Along with the United States, several European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, dropped in ranking. Seven EU nations—Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden—share fourth place on the list.
In contrast, China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have consistently improved their rankings. The UAE is now ranked 10th on the list, offering visa-free access to 185 locations. China is 60th on the list, up from 94th in 2015.
Singapore secured the No. 1 spot on the list, with visa-free access to 195 destinations for Singaporean passport holders.
RELATED CONTENT: Nick Cannon Reflects On Lupus Journey, Calling Himself The ‘Black Tony Stark’
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings