THE U.S. has dropped to its lowest ranking yet on the index that tracks the most powerful passports among countries, according to a new quarterly report released this week.
The Henley Passport Index, which was formed by London-based consulting firm Henley & Partners, revealed in a update that the U.S. has gone down by one spot in the world rankings and now has the 10th most powerful passport worldwide.
The report is compiled using data from the International Air Transport Association. The U.S. was first on the list in 2014. The U.S. passport allows Americans to enter 182 countries without a visa. Tied with the U.S. are Lithuania and Iceland.
“The consolidation we’re seeing at the top underscores that access is earned — and must be maintained — through active and strategic diplomacy. Nations that proactively negotiate visa waivers and nurture reciprocal agreements continue to rise, while the opposite applies to those that are less engaged in such efforts,” said Christian Kälin, the inventor of the passport index concept. Singapore is still in first place, allowing its citizens visa-free access to 193 destination spots. South Korea and Japan share second place, granting 190 visa-free destinations to their citizens.
Seven European Union (EU) countries — Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain — are in the third spot. Seven other EU nations — Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Sweden — are in fourth place, while Greece, Switzerland and New Zealand are tied in fifth place, according to the report. Afghanistan is at the bottom of the list with allowing visa-free access to 25 destinations.
“While international passport rankings may vary based on methodology, our focus remains on facilitating secure, efficient, and reciprocal travel for American citizens and foreign nationals alike,” a State Department spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News.
