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A country’s passport remains a key indicator of global mobility, reflecting how easily citizens can travel abroad without requiring a visa.
Where Cyprus stands
The Cypriot passport now ranks 14th in the world, tied with Bulgaria, according to the latest Henley Passport Index. The ranking measures the number of destinations a passport holder can access visa-free or with visa-on-arrival.
Global Trends
For the first time in 20 years, the United States has fallen out of the top ten, now sharing 12th place with Malaysia. In 2024, the U.S. was ranked seventh, dropping to 10th in July of this year.
“The decline in the power of the U.S. passport over the past decade is not merely a reshuffling of rankings but represents a fundamental shift in global mobility,” said Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners, the firm behind the index.
At present, Asian passports dominate the top ranks. Singapore leads with visa-free access to 193 destinations, followed by South Korea (190) and Japan (189).
Top passport rankings (visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations)
- Singapore – 193
- South Korea – 190
- Japan – 189
- Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland – 188
- Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Netherlands – 187
- Greece, Hungary, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Sweden – 186
Following closely are Australia, Czech Republic, Malta, Poland (185); Croatia, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, UAE, United Kingdom (184); Canada (183); and Latvia, Liechtenstein (182).
Henley & Partners, a London-based consultancy specializing in citizenship and residence planning, has produced the index for nearly 20 years using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The report notes that visa reciprocity plays an important role in passport rankings. While U.S. citizens can visit 180 destinations without a visa, the United States allows only 46 nationalities to enter without one.
For Cypriots, the ranking reflects growing international mobility. With visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 186 destinations, the Cypriot passport remains one of the strongest in Europe and globally.
