Germany has dropped one place in the latest Henley Passport Index, but the German passport is still rated one of the most powerful in the world, allowing German citizens access to 192 countries around the world without needing a visa. 

The Henley Passport Index 2024

Compiling data on 199 different passports and 227 travel destinations around the world, the Henley Passport Index ranks world passports according to their “power”, which is defined as granting the holder access to a country or territory without needing a visa. The ranking is updated quarterly to reflect changes in immigration legislation. 

Based on data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA), the index awards different passports one point for every country their holders can access without needing to apply for a pre-departure visa, while zero points are given for each country where a visa is required before departure. 

Germany awarded joint-second place on passport ranking

Earlier this year, Germany was awarded the title of the most powerful passport in the world for the first time since 2017, sharing the honour with six other nations. As of July 2024, however, the federal republic has slipped one place down the ranking, after Singapore rose to claim the top spot. 

The movement in the ranking is Singapore's gain, rather than Germany’s loss, as the city-state has set a new record score, with citizens now enjoying access to 195 out of 227 travel destinations around the world visa-free. 

Germany, offering visa-free access to 192 destinations, shares its second-place spot with France, Italy, Japan and Spain. 

The world’s strongest passports in July 2024

According to the Henley Passport Index, these are the countries with the most powerful passports in the world in July 2024: 

1. Singapore (195)
2. France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain (192)
3. Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden (191)
4. Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom (190)
5. Australia, Portugal, Greece, Poland (188)

For more information and to see the full ranking, take a look at the Henley Passport Index.