By Marinel E. Peroy
How does the Philippine passport rank in the number of destinations its holder can access without a prior visa?
The Henley Passport Index, which has made the original ranking of all the world’s passports built on cutting-edge expert commentary and historical data spanning over 19 years, reaffirms the Philippine passport’s consistent position in mobility, with particular strength in access around Southeast Asia.
According to the recent 2024 Henley Global Passport Index, the Philippine passport still ranks 73rd as compared to January of this year, giving access to 67 countries without applying for a visa. Last year, the Philippine passport ranking is 78.
“From 2015 until now, besides COVID-19, the general trend is up for the Philippines passport ranking. The Philippines is viewed as quite stable right now, and as the Philippine economy continues to grow, it should continue to see improvements on the passport’s visa-free access,” said Scott Moore, Managing Director of Henley & Partners.
Referencing the Philippines’ latest performance, Moore said this is a factor in the country’s economic growth.
Henley & Partners’ research “has consistently shown a strong correlation between a country’s visa-free score and its economic prosperity. Nations with higher visa-free scores tend to enjoy greater GDP per capita, increased foreign direct investment, and more robust international trade relationships,” he said.
Global passport trends
And what is the world’s most powerful passport? According to the 2024 Henley Passport Index, Singapore’s is—allowing visa-free access to 195 destinations.
The latest report also highlights a growing gap between the most and least powerful passports, with top-ranked Singapore able to access 169 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan, which remains the weakest passport with access to only 26 countries.
Created by Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, the ranking is based on exclusive and official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information, and enhanced by extensive, ongoing research by the Henley & Partners Research Department.
Henley & Partners is the global leader in residence and citizenship by investment. Each year, hundreds of wealthy individuals and their advisors rely on its expertise and experience in this area. The firm’s highly qualified professionals work together as one team in over 55 offices worldwide.
The concept of residence and citizenship by investment was created by Henley & Partners in the 1990s. As globalization has expanded, residence and citizenship have become topics of significant interest among the increasing number of internationally mobile entrepreneurs and investors.
The firm also runs a leading government advisory practice that has raised more than US$12 billion in foreign direct investment. Trusted by governments, the firm has been involved in strategic consulting and in the design, set-up, and operation of the world’s most successful residence and citizenship programs.