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Japan, Singapore maintain most powerful passport title
Both countries boast a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 189.
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Interestingly, the United Kingdom and United States passports that held the most powerful title in 2014 were both recognized in sixth spot -- their lowest position since 2010, according to a statement. (Shutterstock/File)
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ntering the third quarter, Japan and Singapore maintain their spots as the world's most powerful passports, according to the Henley Passport Index.
Both countries boast a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 189.
Following the two were South Korea, Finland and Germany in joint second place who have access to 187 destinations worldwide without a prior visa; Denmark, Italy and Luxembourg in third place with 186; and France, Spain and Sweden in fourth place at 185.
Read also: I used my powerless Indonesian passport to apply for UK visa. This is what happened.
Interestingly, the United Kingdom and United States passports that held the most powerful title in 2014 were both recognized in sixth spot -- their lowest position since 2010, according to a statement.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan remains in the bottom position in terms of global mobility, allowing its citizens to access only 25 destinations without a prior visa.
According to political science researchers Uğur Altundal from Syracuse University and Ömer Zarpli from the University of Pittsburgh, "There is a link between visa-openness and progressive reform, and that a country’s ranking in the index reveals far more than simply the number of destinations its holders are able to access."
Indonesia was ranked 75th, enabling citizens of the archipelago to freely visit 69 destinations. Meanwhile, neighbors other than Singapore, like Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Thailand and the Philippines, were placed 13, 22, 70 and 80. (vit/kes)
