The Henley Passport Index, an interactive online tool that displays, sorts, and ranks the world’s passports, has released an interesting ranking based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The list reveals the world’s most powerful passports of this year in which India’s passport ranks 82nd permitting citizens of the country to travel without a visa to 58 countries.

Singapore passport tops the list as being the world’s most powerful granting visa-free entry to 195 countries. Japan, Spain, Italy, France and Germany stand a close second allowing visa-free access to 192 countries. Not far behind in third place, with visa-free entry to 191 countries, are the Netherlands, Finland, Ireland, Austria, Luxembourg, Sweden and South Korea. The United Kingdom ranks fourth along with Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, and Switzerland with 190 countries, while Australia and Portugal have clinched the fifth spot with 189 countries. The United States, however, ranks eighth with visa-free access to 186 countries.

Senegal and Tajikistan ties with India’s present position. Pakistan’s passport provides access to 33 countries and is ranked 100 in the list, while Afghanistan scores the last rank allowing passport-holders entry into just 26 countries.

The figures are updated by Henley Passport Index in real-time throughout the year, depending on how visa policy changes come into play. – editor@nrifocus.com