Overview
- Henley & Partners' 20th‑anniversary update published July 21, 2026 finds the average passport now grants visa-free access to 108 destinations, up from 58 in 2006, with Singapore offering access to 192 countries and the UAE recording the largest 20‑year gains.
- The Institute for Economics & Peace's 2026 Global Peace Index reports the highest number of state-based conflicts since World War II and a twelfth consecutive year of declining global peacefulness.
- Henley’s comparative analysis documents a strong positive link between peacefulness and passport strength (Spearman ρ = 0.65) while noting clear outliers such as the United States and Israel whose passports remain powerful because of long‑standing diplomatic, economic and security ties.
- Over two decades the mobility gap widened from 118 to a record 170 destinations, Afghanistan remains the weakest passport, and scholars warn visa-waiver diplomacy, Schengen arrangements and policy choices systematically limit travel for many Global South citizens.
- The shift in passport power reshapes practical choices for travelers and investors by affecting who can travel, seek residency or buy citizenship options, and it frames debates Henley will take to its Safe Haven Forum on how mobility links to geopolitical influence.