IN 2023, the Philippines held visa-free access to 66 out of 227 destinations, one less than its previous standing of 67. As we enter 2024, the question looms: What changes have unfolded in the country’s passport power today?
While the archipelago may not flaunt a passport as influential as those of nations like Singapore and Japan, it’s crucial to recognize the consistent progress it has achieved in recent years (and steady rise since 2021). As they say, every destination counts.
The latest update from the Henley Passport Index indicates that Filipinos now enjoy visa-free access to 69 global destinations — a notable three-access increase from the previous year.
This ascent propels the country one spot higher, sharing the 73rd rank with Cape Verde Islands and Uganda.
Six countries share the most powerful passport spot
As the Philippines charts a steady course upwards, six countries now jointly hold the top spot for visa-free access.
Among these global leaders are four EU member states — France, Germany, Italy, and Spain — alongside two Asian nations, Japan and Singapore, commanding the world’s most powerful passports with citizens enjoying visa-free travel to 194 destinations globally. The United States meanwhile comes in at seventh, allowing Americans visa-free access to 188 destinations.
For five consecutive years, Japan and Singapore have dominated the index, underscoring the strength of their passport mobility.
In a press release, Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners, highlights that while there has been a consistent trend toward greater travel freedom over the 19-year history of the ranking, the disparity in global mobility between the highest- and lowest-ranked countries has reached an unprecedented width.
“The average number of destinations travelers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024,” he said.
He added: “However, as we enter the new year, the top-ranked countries are now able to travel to a staggering 166 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan, which sits at the bottom of the ranking with access to just 28 countries without a visa,”
At the bottom of the ranking is Afghanistan with 28 access, Syria at 103rd with 29, and Iraq at 102nd with 31 destinations. (Hans Carbonilla – @inquirerdotnet © Inquirer Manila)
