Sri Lanka passport gains eight places to rank world’s 95th 

Sri Lanka’s passport has made a significant leap in the Henley Passport Index 2023, moving up eight spots since last year and securing the 95th position in the latest ranking released by Henley and Partners. 

The Henley Passport Index is a renowned publication that ranks passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. Based on official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the index provides an original ranking of passports worldwide. 

The latest index reveals that Sri Lanka has improved its position, with 41 countries now offering visa-free travel or visa-on-arrival to holders of Sri Lankan passports. This marks a notable increase compared to the country’s rankings of 103rd in 2022 and 107th in 2021.

Sri Lankan passport holders can enjoy hassle-free travel to various destinations, including Singapore, the Maldives, Pakistan, Nepal, Cambodia, Laos, Tajikistan, Bahamas, Dominica, Madagascar, and Seychelles, without requiring a visa or by obtaining a visa-on-arrival.

In a notable shift, Japan, which had held the top spot for the past five years, has been surpassed by Singapore, which now claims the title of the most powerful passport in the world. Singaporean citizens have visa-free access to an impressive 192 out of 227 destinations globally. 

Germany, Italy, and Spain share the second position, providing visa-free access to 190 destinations. Meanwhile, several other nations, including Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, South Korea, and Sweden, hold the third spot, with access to 189 destinations without a prior visa.

The United Kingdom has shown signs of improvement, jumping two places to secure the fourth spot on the index. This is the highest position it has held since 2017, indicating a positive turnaround after a six-year decline. However, the United States continues to experience a downward trajectory, slipping two places to the eighth position with visa-free access to only 184 destinations.

At the bottom of the Henley Passport Index, Afghanistan remains in the last position with a visa-free access score of 27, followed by Iraq (score of 29) and Syria (score of 30). These three countries have the weakest passports globally.

The Henley Passport Index has observed a general trend toward increased travel freedom over its 18-year history. The average number of visa-free destinations for travellers has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2023. However, there remains a significant global mobility gap, with Singapore’s top-ranked passport providing access to 165 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan.

In addition to Sri Lanka’s progress, the Indian passport has also improved its ranking, climbing five places to secure the 80th position in the Henley Passport Index 2023. Indian passport holders now enjoy visa-free access to 57 destinations.

Among Sri Lanka’s neighbouring countries, the Maldives has been ranked 57th in the index, Bhutan 84th, Bangladesh 96th, Nepal 98th, and Pakistan 100th, according to the latest rankings.