by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 9:50 AM ET, Wed October 15, 2025
For the first time in the ranking’s 20-year history, the power of the United States’ passport has fallen below the top ten most powerful passports in the world, signaling a dramatic shift for Americans.
The data comes from the Henley Passport Index, which uses information from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to create the Index.
This month, the United States has fallen to the lowest level since the Index’s creation, falling behind 36 other countries into 12th place, which it shares with Malaysia, offering visa-free travel to 180 countries. It ranked first in 2014 and has consistently been in the top ten since its creation.
Countries ahead of it in the ranking include Singapore, South Korea, Germany and Spain, as well as Greece, Hungary, the United Arab Emirates, Lithuania and more.
What Caused the Historic Drop in Passport Power?
Henley & Partners attributes the drop from 10th to 12th place to a series of changes in access: Americans lost visa-free access to Brazil this April, and they were left out of China’s visa-free travel list, too. Changes in travel rules to Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, Somalia and Vietnam also changed its ranking.
“The declining strength of the US passport over the past decade is more than just a reshuffle in rankings — it signals a fundamental shift in global mobility and soft power dynamics,” said Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners and creator of the Index. “Nations that embrace openness and cooperation are surging ahead, while those resting on past privilege are being left behind.”
The United States’ Openness to Visitors
Beyond the passport drop, the United States ranks 77th out of 199 countries for openness to international visitors. The U.S. currently only allows travelers from 46 other countries to visit without a visa, and that could become more restricted.
The Trump Administration’s isolationist policies have suspended visas for 12 nations across Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, restricted visas for another seven and threatened bans for up to 36 other countries, many of them in Africa. Travelers from seven African nations are now required to post a visa bond of up to $15,000 per visit. Visa applications have gotten more expensive.
The New American Dream?
As Americans lose passport power around the world, they’re also the largest group of applicants for investment migration programs this year. Applications from US nationals grew 67 percent from 2024.
“In coming years, more Americans will be acquiring additional citizenships in whatever way they can,” said Prof. Peter J. Spiro of Temple University Law School. “Multiple citizenship is being normalized in American society. While it may be a bit of an exaggeration, as one social media poster recently put it, ‘dual citizenship is the new American dream.’”
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