South Korea has secured the third position in the global passport power rankings, which evaluate the number of countries that allow visa-free entry. South Korea’s passport allows visa-free entry to 191 destinations. Singapore retained the top spot with 195 destinations.
On July 23, the British citizenship consultancy Henley & Partners released the 2024 global rankings of the Henley Passport Index, revealing that the South Korean passport grants visa-free access to 191 countries, placing it in a tie for third place.
South Korea is third, with Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
In July 2022, South Korea ranked second among 192 countries. By July 2023, it had dropped to a tie for third place with 189 countries.
This year, Singapore maintained its position at the top with access to 195 countries without a visa for the second year.
France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain secured the joint second spot, allowing visa-free entry to 192 countries.
Japan, which held the top position for five years, dropped to joint 3rd last year but climbed back to second place this year.
Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom shared the fourth place, each allowing visa-free entry to 190 countries.
The United States, which once boasted the most muscular passport power, remained 8th place this year with visa-free access to 186 countries, maintaining its position from last year.
Last year, North Korea ranked 97th with access to 39 countries. It has improved slightly this year, reaching 96th place with access to 41 countries.
Afghanistan held the lowest position again this year, ranking 103rd with access to only 26 countries, maintaining its last position from the previous year.
The Henley Passport Index quantifies the number of countries that passport holders can enter without a visa or receive a visa upon arrival based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
This year’s survey included 227 countries.
A representative from Henley & Partners noted that this year, travelers can visit an average of 111 countries without needing a visa, a significant increase from the 58 countries in 2006. However, they also pointed out that the global mobility gap has widened considerably, reaching an unprecedented level of disparity between the top and bottom ranks.
