The New Zealand passport has once again been recognised as one of the world’s most powerful, securing a joint sixth place on the latest Henley Passport Index, which evaluates passports based on the number of destinations their holders can visit without a prior visa. The latest rankings were released in mid-October.
According to the 2025 index, New Zealand citizens enjoy visa-free access to 186 destinations, placing the country alongside Greece, Hungary, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden. The report analysed 199 different passports and 227 travel destinations to determine global mobility rankings.
However, despite its strong overall score, New Zealand ranked 73rd in openness, sharing the position with Benin, Ghana, and Guyana. This indicates that while New Zealanders can travel freely to many nations, only 61 countries allow visa-free access to New Zealand passport holders in return. Experts note that this disparity mirrors trends seen in other developed nations such as Australia, Canada, the United States, and Japan, 1News reports.
Globally, Singapore retained the top spot, granting its citizens visa-free access to 193 destinations, followed by South Korea (190) and Japan (189). Australia ranked just below New Zealand, sharing seventh place with Czechia, Malta, and Poland, each scoring 185, 1News reported.
At the other end of the spectrum, Afghanistan remained the lowest-ranked country with access to just 24 destinations, followed by Syria (26) and Iraq (29).
The United States experienced a notable decline, falling outside the top 10 for the first time and sharing 12th place with Malaysia, both scoring 180. Once the world’s strongest passport in 2014, the US has slipped amid shifting global travel dynamics and reduced reciprocity.
Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners and creator of the index, said the weakening US ranking “signals a fundamental shift in global mobility and soft power dynamics.” He added, “Nations that embrace openness and cooperation are surging ahead, while those resting on past privilege are being left behind,” 1News reported.
Annie Pforzheimer, senior associate at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, linked the decline in US passport strength to internal political shifts. “Even before a second Trump presidency, US policy had turned inward. That isolationist mindset is now being reflected in America’s loss of passport power,” she said, as quoted by 1News.
The United Kingdom also saw a drop, reaching its lowest-ever position at joint eighth with a score of 184. Meanwhile, China emerged as one of the biggest climbers over the past decade, rising from 94th place in 2015 to 64th in 2025.
Dr Tim Klatte of Grant Thornton China noted that this improvement reflects “significant geopolitical implications” and the nation’s growing global engagement.
The Henley Passport Index, released quarterly and widely regarded as a key benchmark for global mobility, continues to serve as a major indicator of countries’ diplomatic relations, international cooperation, and soft power influence.
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