European passports lose the first place in passport rankings

Asian passports from Singapore and Japan capture the top spot in passport rankings report from Henley and Partners.  The power of German passport dropped to second, while UK and UK passports are in the fourth sport.

Brexit and the EU migrant crisis create a ceiling for Europe’s passport power, is the reason for the fall in passport power according to Henley.

Prof. Dr. Florian Trauner, Research Professor at the Institute for European Studies at the Free University of Brussels, EU member states including the UK are unlikely to see their passport power improving so long as their own inbound travel policies remain restrictive.

“The current political climate in the EU is not conducive to more liberal admission policies. In the wake of the Brexit vote, the UK has been trying to install a stricter immigration regime vis-à-vis both EU and non-EU citizens,” says Prof. Trauner.

“The EU, similarly, has sought to strengthen its external border control in reaction to the ongoing ‘refugee crisis’. Softening visa requirements may be perceived as being lenient on immigration. In addition, EU member states have significant political reservations regarding the processing of the three remaining candidates for EU visa liberalization: Kosovo, Turkey, and Russia.”

Passport summary for Q3 2018

• Japan and Singapore share 1^st place on the latest Henley Passport Index, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 189 destinations.
• Germany has fallen to 2^nd place this year, for the first time since 2013.
• The UAE has gained access to four new destinations since May, rising to 21^st place globally and enjoying visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 158 destinations.
• China has strengthened its travel links to key investment destinations such as Zimbabwe and Belarus, but the country falls one place on the index due to better performance by other states.
• Russia has not gained access to any new destinations since May, but it rose one place to 46^th position.
• The top 20 of the Henley Passport Index remains stable in Q3, with no new visa-waivers processed for the UK, the US, or EU member states.
• Nationals of the UK, the US, and the EU have not seen any improvement in their global access since 2017.
• Global leaders Japan and Singapore both gained access to Uzbekistan this year, and their upper-hand so far remains unchallenged.
• Brexit and the EU migrant crisis are creating a ceiling for Europe’s passport power.
• The US remains the regional leader despite Trump, but Latin American countries such as Chile, Argentina, and Brazil are rapidly catching up.
• Africa is prioritizing foreign direct investment and liberalizing its visa policies.