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Henley Passport Index 2024
Context:
The Henley Passport Index, a global passport index recently released a comprehensive list of the most powerful passports in the world.
Henley Passport Index:
- A Global Passport Index
- It is published by Henley & Partners.
- Purpose: Measures travel freedom based on visa-free access granted by passports.
- India has been ranked 82nd, allowing its citizens visa-free entry to 58 countries representing an improvement from the previous ranking of the 84th position, last year.
- Top Rankings
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- 1st Place: Singapore (visa-free entry to 195 countries)
- 2nd Place: Japan, Spain, France, Germany, Italy (visa-free entry to 192 countries)
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- Other key rankings include:
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- 3rd place (191 visa-free destinations): Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden
- 4th place (190 visa-free destinations): Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom
- 5th place (189 visa-free destinations): Australia, Portugal
- 8th place (186 visa-free destinations): United States
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- The ranking is based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Henley & Partners’ research team, a London-based immigration consultancy.
- According to Forbes India, passport rankings are determined by multiple factors.
- The evaluation encompasses:
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- 198 passports and 226 destinations
- Assessing the number of countries accessible without a visa, the nation’s diplomatic relations, and its international agreements.
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- Henley & Partners notes that countries with higher GDP per capita have more visa-free destinations due to increased trade, tourism, and investment.
- Additionally, domestic fragility, such as violence and instability, negatively impacts travel ease.
- Surprisingly, democracy does not strongly correlate with passport strength.
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- For example, the UAE, a closed autocracy, boasts a high visa-free score of 185, whereas highly democratic countries like Senegal and Tunisia have limited visa-free access.
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The International Air Transport Association (IATA)
- Establishment: 19 April 1945, in Cuba.
- It is the trade association for the world’s airlines and represents around 330 airlines, covering over 80% of global air traffic.
- Members: 330 members from 120 countries across the globe.