These are the 10 most powerful passports in the world in the midst of a pandemic

(CNN) –– Before the covid-19 was fatally extended, the world had greater freedom of movement compared to any other time in history.

Air traffic had steadily increased for decades, and citizens with an average passport could enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 107 global destinations.

And then the travel bans occurred.

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The Henley Passport Index, which regularly measures the best passports to travel the world, has just released its third report of this new decade.

Asian citizens continue to have the passports that open the most doors. Japan tops the list and offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 191 destinations worldwide.

Singapore ranks second (190 destinations) and South Korea ties Germany for third place (189 destinations each).

However, the standard ranking does not include temporary bans. And at that point, Henley & Partners explained in a statement, it's where the juiciest details are: "It's revealing to consider what freedom of travel now looks like for passport holders who were once prestigious."

Last week, the European Union released a list of 14 countries whose residents would have been allowed to enter the bloc since July 1, months after it closed its external borders in response to the covid-19 outbreak.

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Japan and South Korea met the coronavirus health and safety criteria set by the European Union for the list, as did Australia and Canada (both ranked ninth in the Henley Passport Index).

However, Henley & Partner noted, "To a degree perceived as stabbing reproach for their mishandling of the pandemic," the United States was a notable exclusion, along with Brazil and Russia.

The United States currently ranks seventh in the index. However, with the current European Union ban, Americans have roughly the same level of freedom of travel as citizens of Mexico (ranked 25th, with a score of 159 destinations) and Uruguay (ranked # 1). 28, with a score of 153).

In this sense, the absence of Brazil from the list of countries accepted by the European Union means that, although in Henley's classification it is at number 19, the current reality is that it is located somewhere closer to Paraguay (which it is ranked 36 in the index, with a score of 142).

Singapore, meanwhile, ranks second in the Henley Passport Index, but its exclusion from the European Union list means that its citizens currently have much less freedom of travel than the other countries on the podium: Japan, South Korea and Germany.

Christian H. Kaelin, President of Henley & Partners and inventor of the index concept, explained that the impact of the recent decision of the European Union will be far-reaching. “As we have already seen, the impact of the pandemic on freedom of travel has been more drastic and lasting than initially anticipated. This latest decision of the European Union indicates that there is more turmoil to come, "he said.

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Christian H. Kaelin, chair of Henley & Partners and the inventor of the passport index concept, says the impact of the EU's recent decision will be far-reaching. “As we have already seen, the pandemic's impact on travel freedom has been more drastic and long-lasting than initially anticipated. This latest decision by the EU indicates that there is more upheaval to come. ”

The best passports in 2020

1. Japan (191 destinations)
2. Singapore (190)
3. South Korea and Germany (189)
4. Italy, Finland, Spain and Luxembourg (188)
5. Denmark and Austria (187)
6. Sweden, France, Portugal , The Netherlands and Ireland (186)
7. Switzerland, the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway and Belgium (185)
8. Greece, New Zealand, Malta and the Czech Republic (184)
9. Canada and Australia (183)
10. Hungary (181 )

The worst passports in 2020

Several countries in the world have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to less than 40 countries.

103. North Korea (39 destinations)
104. Libya, Nepal and the Palestinian Territory (38)
105. Somalia and Yemen (33)
106. Pakistan (32)
107. Syria (29)
108. Iraq (28)
109. Afghanistan ( 26)

Other indices

The Henley & Partners list is one of several indexes created by financial companies to classify world passports according to the access they provide to their citizens.

The Henley Passport Index is based on data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations. It is updated in real time throughout the year, as changes in visa policy come into effect.

The Arton Capital Passport Index takes into account the passports of 193 member countries of the United Nations and six territories: Taiwan, Macao, Hong Kong, Kosovo, the Palestinian Territory and the Vatican. Territories annexed to other countries are excluded.

Its 2020 index places Japan and New Zealand in first place, with a score of 118 without a visa.

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