Pakistan ranks 98th in world passport strength list for 2026

ISLAMABAD:  Pakistan has once again ranked among the countries with the weakest passports in the Henley Passport Index for the first half of 2026.

According to the index, released for January to June 2026, Singapore holds the title of the world’s most powerful passport, allowing its citizens to travel visa-free to 192 countries.

The second-strongest passports belong to Japan and South Korea, whose holders can travel visa-free to 188 countries. Countries such as Denmark, Luxembourg, Sweden, Spain, and Switzerland share the third spot with access to 186 countries, while Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, France, Germany, Norway, Finland, Greece, and the Netherlands rank fourth with 185 countries accessible without a visa.

Other notable rankings include Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the UAE in fifth place (184 countries), Croatia, Estonia, Malta, New Zealand, and Poland in sixth (183 countries), and Australia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, and the UK in seventh (182 countries).

Weakest Passports

Pakistan has been ranked as the fourth weakest passport globally, placing 98th overall, with visa-free access to only 31 countries. Yemen shares the 98th spot with Pakistan, followed by Iraq (99th), Syria (100th), and Afghanistan (101st).

Other regional rankings include Somalia (97th), Nepal (96th), Bangladesh (84th), and Palestine, North Korea, and Eritrea (jointly 94th). India ranks 80th, China 59th, Iran 92nd, and Saudi Arabia 54th.

The Henley Passport Index highlights the global disparities in travel freedom, with South Asian countries like Pakistan continuing to face significant restrictions on international mobility.