Australian passports just became more powerful: Here are the countries you can now enter visa-free

Singapore has replaced Japan for having the world’s most powerful passport, allowing visa-free entry to 192 global destinations, according to the latest Henley Passport Index.

After five years at the top, Japan dropped to third place as the number of destinations its passport can access without a visa fell, while Australia has moved up two places to joint sixth position, according to the ranking published by London-based immigration consultancy Henley & Partners.

The Australian passport’s ascension is due to increasing its visa-free access to 186 destinations around the world, up from 185 earlier this year, after losing visa-free access to Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea and Uganda, and gaining access to Japan, Mongolia, Suriname and Djibouti. It’s Australia’s highest ranking since 2015, and it shares the sixth position with Hungary and Poland.

The United States, which once topped the ranking nearly a decade ago, slid two places to eighth place – its lowest position to date. A summary of the report’s findings speculates America’s slide down the rankings is due to its increasing lack of visa reciprocity, meaning it’s unlikely to reclaim the highest ranking in the near future.

The United Kingdom, after a Brexit-induced slump, jumped two places to fourth, a position it last held in 2017.

Responding to the rankings, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs noted the importance of passport technology in gaining visa-free access.

“The Australian passport has a high level of technological sophistication, backed by rigorous anti-fraud measures, which ensures its integrity,” said a department spokesperson. “This is key reason why Australians receive visa-free travel to many countries – a practical benefit for many travelling Australians.”

Singapore is a magnet for wealth, with a recent influx driven by a crackdown on private enterprise in China and fears over geopolitical tensions. But landing the privilege to use the city-state’s travel document isn’t easy. The nation of 5.6 million granted citizenships to about 23,100 people last year, and Singapore authorities have ceased factoring in the net worth of individuals as part of its citizenship criteria.

Henley’s ranking tracks data from the International Air Transport Association. The methodology differs from other passport indexes like one published by financial advisory Arton Capital, which put the United Arab Emirates in pole position last year.