ISLAMABAD: With visa-free access to 30 countries, Pakistan’s passport has been ranked at the 100th spot in the world by the Henley Passport Index.

The Henley Passport Index compares 199 different passports across 227 different travel destinations, and calculates the score based on the number of destinations that can be accessed visa-free.

Over the past decade, Pakistan has remained close to the bottom of the rankings, although its position has steadily improved since 2021.

In January, Pakistan’s rank improved to 98th, up from the 103rd spot in 2025. In the current rankings, only Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan have scored lower.

In February 2026, Pakistani citizens had access to 32 destinations, up from 31 in January following the reinstatement of The Gambia.

However, the latest May ranking reduces the total to 30 destinations, highlighting ongoing adjustments in global visa policies and bilateral travel arrangements.

The list is dominated by Asian countries, with Singapore retaining its position, while Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates were tied on second place. Sweden places third, being the highest ranked European nation.

A dozen European nations, including France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, are tied for fourth place. Meanwhile, the United States comes in at No 10.

India’s passport, meanwhile, has dipped from 75th earlier this year to 78th in the latest index.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2026