The U.S. Passport Is Getting Less Powerful — Here’s Why

You might think the U.S. passport one of the most powerful in the world, but it’s not.

In fact, according to the 2025 edition of the Henley Passport Index — which ranks the world’s passports by the number of places each passport holder can visit visa-free — the U.S. has plunged from second to ninth place over the past 10 years. (Only Venezuela has performed worse.)

What caused this fall from grace? There’s no one specific answer, but in this article we’ll look at the list, explain why the U.S. passport is losing its strength, and offer a glimpse of what the future could hold for U.S. passport holders.

The Most Powerful Passports in the World

The Henley Passport Index uses data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to rank passports. It’s considered the international standard in this field — and based on its rankings, the most powerful passports may not be the ones you think.

The list, which includes 199 different passports and 227 travel destinations, is based on the number of countries each passport allows you to reach visa-free.

There’s also the Henley Openness Index, which ranks all 199 countries and territories worldwide according to the number of nationalities to which they permit entry without a prior visa. On this list, the U.S. is in 84th place.

Countries rise and fall every year on these lists based on their openness to foreigners and how easy it is for their own citizens to travel freely.

Strongest and Weakest Passports

Singapore takes the top spot in 2025, with a visa-free score of 193. Coming in second place are Japan and South Korea, at 190. Third place sees all European countries, with Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain sharing a score of 189.

As mentioned, the U.S. comes in at 9th place (alongside Croatia, Latvia, Slovakia, and Slovenia) with the ability to travel to 183 countries visa-free. At the bottom of the list, Iraq has a visa-free score of 30, Syria 27, and in last position, Afghanistan, with 25. (See the full Henley Passport Index.)

Why the U.S. Is Falling Behind

Officially deemed a “faller” by Henley, the U.S. has dropped so hard over the past 10 years that only Venezuela beat it on the way down. But why? There are a few reasons.

Lack of Reciprocity

When you compare the its openness score to the visa-free score, it’s easy to see why the U.S. lands further down the list. While U.S. passport holders can access 183 countries visa-free, only 46 countries can enter the U.S. without a visa.

Growing Sense of Nationalism

Political views aside, the ‘America First’ narrative may be a major contributor to the U.S. passport’s decline.

According to Annie Pforzhemier, Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, “Even before the advent of a second Trump presidency, American political trends had become notably inward-looking and isolationist. Even though U.S. economic health relies heavily on immigration, tourism, and trade, voters during the 2024 presidential campaign were fed a narrative that America can (and should) stand alone. Ultimately, if tariffs and deportations are the Trump administration’s default policy tools, not only will the US continue to decline on the mobility index on a comparative basis, but it will probably do so in absolute terms as well.”

The Future of a U.S. Passport

While we don’t know whether the U.S. passport will climb back up the ladder or keep going down, judging by some new visa policies, it may be the latter.

Little by little, the lack of reciprocity and the current political climate means that other countries will likely start requiring visas for U.S. citizens to enter. Already, U.S. passport holders have to pay more than other countries when visiting certain destinations. For example, most EU nationals and Australians don’t need a visa to visit Bolivia, while U.S. passport holders need to pay $160 for a visa. Citizens of many EU countries can enter Turkey visa-free, but U.S. passport holders need to pay about $60 for a visa.

This trend is continuing in 2025. Brazil is shifting away from its 2019 policy that allowed U.S. passport holders to visit for free. Starting April 10, 2025, U.S. citizens will need to pay approximately $80 for a Brazilian visa.

In January, the UK implemented its ETA system, where U.S. passport holders need to pay £10 to obtain travel permission to enter the UK.

While the start date is unclear, the EU is moving forward with its travel authorizations for U.S. passport holders, possibly in the second half of 2025. Known as the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System), the €7 fee won’t break the bank but does add an additional step for U.S. citizens visiting Europe.

Final Thoughts

The U.S. passport isn’t the world’s most powerful passport right now — and it may not get any better, at least for a while. Some Americans are responding by seeking additional citizenship. The data is clear: US nationals account for 21% of all investment migration program applications received by Henley & Partners, more than any other nationality.