The improvement highlights a notable upward trend in international mobility for Vietnamese citizens, at a time when many countries have experienced fluctuations in passport rankings due to changes in visa policies, heightened geopolitical tensions and tighter border controls.

The Henley Passport Index measures the strength of passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa or with visa-on-arrival privileges. The ranking is compiled using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), covering 227 countries and territories worldwide.

According to Henley & Partners, Vietnam’s rise in the rankings reflects positive developments in its foreign relations, including expanded bilateral and multilateral cooperation, as well as improvements in visa-related agreements and policies in recent years. These factors have helped facilitate travel, education, employment and international trade for Vietnamese nationals.

Experts note that if Vietnam continues to broaden its visa-free network, pursue proactive diplomacy and further streamline entry and exit procedures, the country’s passport ranking could continue to improve, enhancing the global standing and international integration of its citizens.

Globally, Singapore retained its position as the world’s most powerful passport, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 192 out of 227 destinations. Japan and the Republic of Korea shared second place with 188 destinations each.

Five European countries - Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland - ranked third with access to 186 destinations, while fourth place was occupied by another group of 10 European nations, including France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, each with 185 destinations.

In the top five, Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) each recorded access to 184 destinations. Henley & Partners highlighted the UAE as the fastest climber in the index’s 20-year history, having gained 149 visa-free destinations since 2006, rising 57 places overall. The achievement was attributed to the country’s sustained visa liberalisation efforts and proactive diplomatic strategy.

By contrast, the United Kingdom recorded the largest year-on-year decline, with its visa-free score falling from 190 to 182 destinations. The United States returned to the top 10 at 10th place with 179 destinations, after briefly dropping out in late 2025. However, analysts caution that the long-term trend still points to a relative decline, as the US has lost visa-free access to several destinations over the past year.

Vietnam passport climbs two notches in Henley global rankings

VOV.VN - Vietnam’s passport has risen two places to 90th globally in the latest Henley Passport Index 2025 (HPI), reflecting a modest improvement in international mobility, according to the HPI’s December update.