As we enter the brand new decade, Asian nations have firmly established their lead on the Henley Passport Index, the unique rating of all of the world’s passports in accordance with the variety of locations their holders can entry with out a prior visa.

For the third consecutive 12 months, Japan has secured the highest spot on the index — which is predicated on unique knowledge from the Worldwide Air Transport Affiliation (IATA) — with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival rating of 191.

Singapore in the meantime drops to second place with a rating of 190, whereas South Korea drops additional down a rank to 3rd place alongside Germany (regardless of gaining 1 rating level), giving their passport holders visa-free/visa-on-arrival entry to 189 locations worldwide.

Japan’s passport managed to drag forward of Singapore because it obtained visa on arrival entry to Saudi Arabia, which Singapore didn’t. The US and the UK proceed their downward trajectory on the index’s rankings. Whereas each nations stay within the prime 10, their shared eighth place is a major decline from the primary spot they collectively held in 2015.

“New actuality of worldwide mobility.”

Elsewhere within the prime 10, Finland and Italy share fourth place, with a rating of 188, whereas Denmark, Luxembourg, and Spain collectively maintain fifth place, with a rating of 187. The index’s historic success story stays the regular ascent of the UAE, which has climbed a outstanding 47 locations over the previous 10 years and now sits in 18th place, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival rating of 171. On the opposite finish of the journey freedom spectrum, Afghanistan stays on the backside of the index, with its nationals solely capable of go to a mere 26 locations visa-free.

Dominic Volek, head of Southeast Asia and managing accomplice at Henley & Companions stated: “The advantages of open-door insurance policies and mutually helpful commerce agreements can now not be denied. Primarily based on our ongoing analysis, nations that embrace this new actuality of worldwide mobility are thriving, with their residents having fun with ever-increasing passport energy and journey freedom, in addition to the array of advantages that include it.”