INDIAN passport holders can travel to 57 countries without a visa, a survey has shown, while Bangladesh permits its citizens access to 40 countries without a prior visa.
An index of 227 countries compiled by Henley & Partners showed Singapore topped the list as its nationals can visit 193 destinations visa-free, while Pakistanis had access to 33 countries with an on-arrival visa facility.
India was ranked 81st on the list, followed by Sri Lanka (96); Bangladesh (97) and Pakistan (100).
The UK was placed fourth on the index, with Britons having access to 188 countries visa-free.
In contrast, the US experienced a drop in their rankings, falling to the eighth place on the index. American passport holders have access to 184 visa-free destinations, compared to their previous standing as a leading country on the index.
Singapore now holds the top position in the list, boasting the most powerful passport in the world.
While Asian countries have traditionally dominated the rankings, there is a noticeable shift as Europe is making a comeback.
Germany, Italy, and Spain have risen to the second spot, providing visa-free access to 190 destinations for their citizens.
This pushed Japan, which had been at the forefront for the past five years, down to the third position, shared with South Korea, Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, and Sweden. Citizens of these countries enjoy access to 189 destinations without needing a prior visa.
The Henley Passport Index regularly updates its rankings based on International Air Transport Association (IATA) data to reflect changes in visa policies.
Over the years, there has been a significant increase in the average number of visa-free destinations available to travellers, nearly doubling from 58 in 2006 to 109 at present.
“The general trend over the history of the 18-year-old ranking has been towards greater travel freedom, with the average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free nearly doubling from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2023,” a statement by Henley & Partners read.
There remains a significant gap in travel freedom between the top-ranked and bottom-ranked countries.
Nationals of conflict-ridden countries, including Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, possess the least travel privileges, with access to just 27, 29, and 30 destinations, respectively.
(With inputs from PTI)
