Singapore holds the distinction of having the most powerful passports in the world. The country’s passport holders can travel to 192 countries and territories without an advance visa. On the other hand, Bangladesh has advanced three steps in the strong passport index. Bangladesh is now ranked 97th in the list of strongest passports by mid-2026.
On Tuesday (July 21), these data were revealed in the index published on the website of Henley and Partners, a London-based company in the United Kingdom.
According to the website, this index of strong passport has been created based on how many countries can be visited with the passport of a country without advance visa or with visa-free facilities. In this case, passports of 199 countries and 227 travel destinations have been taken into consideration.
Information says that now Bangladeshi and North Korean passport holders can travel to 35 countries in the world without advance visa or with visa-free facilities; However, Bangladeshi passport holders could travel to 37 countries around the world without an advance visa last year.
Singapore is at the top of this year’s index. The country’s passport holders can travel to 192 countries without an advance visa. Three other Asian countries—Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—are in the second position. Passport holders of these three countries can travel to 188 countries without advance visa.
The European country Sweden is in the third position in the index. The country’s passport holders can travel to 187 countries without an advance visa.
A total of 11 countries are in the fourth position. The countries are Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway and Spain. Passport holders of the countries can travel to 186 countries without advance visa.
There are five countries in the fifth position in this year’s index. Holders of passports from five countries—Austria, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Switzerland—can travel to 185 countries without an advance visa. Hungary, Poland and the United Kingdom have three countries in the sixth position. Passport holders of these countries can travel to 184 countries without advance visa.
Eight countries in the index, Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Latvia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Slovakia and Slovenia, can travel to 183 countries without an advance visa.
Holders of passports from Croatia and Estonia in eighth place can travel to 182 countries without an advance visa. The ninth position in the index is occupied by two countries—Liechtenstein and Lithuania. Passport holders of both countries can travel to 181 countries without advance visa.
Iceland, which ranks tenth in the index, and US passport holders can travel to 180 countries without an advance visa. Among Bangladesh’s neighbours, i.e. South Asian countries, Maldives has the strongest passport. The country is ranked 52nd in the index. Maldivian passport holders can travel to 93 countries without an advance visa.
India’s position is 81st. Indian passport holders can travel to 55 countries around the world without prior visa. On the other hand, citizens of Bhutan, ranked 88th, can travel to 47 countries and citizens of Myanmar, ranked 91st, 43 countries without prior visa.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is at 94th position. The country’s passport holders enjoy visa-free or advance visa-free travel to 39 countries. Nepal is ranked 98th after Bangladesh, whose passport holders can visit 34 countries without advance visa. And the citizens of Pakistan at the 101st position can travel to 29 countries without advance visa.
Times BD/ Talha
