Henley Passport Index: India slips to 80th in July, down from 78th in May; 56 nations still visa free
The decline follows a period of improvement earlier this year. India had climbed to 78th position in May and reached 75th in February, its strongest recent performance after being ranked 85th in 2025
- Jul 3, 2026,
- Updated Jul 3, 2026 12:40 PM IST
India has slipped two positions in the latest Henley Passport Index, falling to 80th place in the July update even as Indian passport holders retain access to 56 destinations without securing a conventional visa in advance.
The decline follows a period of improvement earlier this year. India had climbed to 78th position in May and reached 75th in February, its strongest recent performance after being ranked 85th in 2025.
The latest ranking comes amid two domestic developments involving passports. The Ministry of External Affairs recently said that a passport serves primarily as a travel document and cannot, by itself, be treated as conclusive proof of citizenship. The clarification prompted political and public debate.
The government has also revised passport charges for the first time in 14 years, with the new rates taking effect from July 1.
India’s mobility remains concentrated outside major Western markets
India’s stated mobility score of 56 includes destinations offering visa-free access, visas on arrival, visitor permits or Electronic Travel Authorisation.
Most of these destinations are located in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Indian citizens must still obtain visas in advance for major destinations such as the United States, the United Kingdom and most European countries.
A separate ranking, the Global Passport Index 2026, places India’s mobility position at around 136th globally. The gap suggests that several countries have expanded international travel access more rapidly.
Further progress would depend on additional bilateral visa-waiver agreements, stronger passport-security systems, better digital identity infrastructure and sustained diplomatic engagement.
Destinations listed as accessible without a traditional visa
The supplied destination list accounts for 55 places, although the stated mobility score is 56.
Visa-free access: Angola, Barbados, Bhutan, British Virgin Islands, Cook Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Macao, Malaysia, Mauritius, Micronesia, Montserrat, Nepal, Niue, the Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Senegal, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, The Gambia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vanuatu.
Visa on arrival: Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde Islands, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Jordan, Laos, Madagascar, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Palau, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu and Zimbabwe, Thailand.
Electronic Travel Authorisation required: Kenya, Seychelles, and St. Kitts and Nevis.
Why passport rankings change
The Henley Passport Index compares 199 passports using travel data from the International Air Transport Association. It measures the number of destinations passport holders can access across 227 countries and territories without obtaining a traditional visa beforehand.
A country can fall in the rankings even when its own mobility score remains unchanged. This can happen when other countries secure additional visa-waiver arrangements and move ahead more quickly.
Passport strength is shaped by several factors, including diplomatic ties, reciprocal travel agreements, border-security standards and international confidence in a country’s documentation systems. Economic size and geopolitical influence alone do not determine the ranking.
Singapore remains at the top
Singapore continues to hold the world’s strongest passport, with access to 192 destinations.
Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates share second place, offering access to 188 destinations. Germany, France and Spain each provide entry to more than 185 destinations, while the United States and the United Kingdom remain among the higher-ranked passports.
India has slipped two positions in the latest Henley Passport Index, falling to 80th place in the July update even as Indian passport holders retain access to 56 destinations without securing a conventional visa in advance.
The decline follows a period of improvement earlier this year. India had climbed to 78th position in May and reached 75th in February, its strongest recent performance after being ranked 85th in 2025.
The latest ranking comes amid two domestic developments involving passports. The Ministry of External Affairs recently said that a passport serves primarily as a travel document and cannot, by itself, be treated as conclusive proof of citizenship. The clarification prompted political and public debate.
The government has also revised passport charges for the first time in 14 years, with the new rates taking effect from July 1.
India’s mobility remains concentrated outside major Western markets
India’s stated mobility score of 56 includes destinations offering visa-free access, visas on arrival, visitor permits or Electronic Travel Authorisation.
Most of these destinations are located in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Indian citizens must still obtain visas in advance for major destinations such as the United States, the United Kingdom and most European countries.
A separate ranking, the Global Passport Index 2026, places India’s mobility position at around 136th globally. The gap suggests that several countries have expanded international travel access more rapidly.
Further progress would depend on additional bilateral visa-waiver agreements, stronger passport-security systems, better digital identity infrastructure and sustained diplomatic engagement.
Destinations listed as accessible without a traditional visa
The supplied destination list accounts for 55 places, although the stated mobility score is 56.
Visa-free access: Angola, Barbados, Bhutan, British Virgin Islands, Cook Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Macao, Malaysia, Mauritius, Micronesia, Montserrat, Nepal, Niue, the Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Senegal, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, The Gambia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vanuatu.
Visa on arrival: Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde Islands, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Jordan, Laos, Madagascar, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Palau, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu and Zimbabwe, Thailand.
Electronic Travel Authorisation required: Kenya, Seychelles, and St. Kitts and Nevis.
Why passport rankings change
The Henley Passport Index compares 199 passports using travel data from the International Air Transport Association. It measures the number of destinations passport holders can access across 227 countries and territories without obtaining a traditional visa beforehand.
A country can fall in the rankings even when its own mobility score remains unchanged. This can happen when other countries secure additional visa-waiver arrangements and move ahead more quickly.
Passport strength is shaped by several factors, including diplomatic ties, reciprocal travel agreements, border-security standards and international confidence in a country’s documentation systems. Economic size and geopolitical influence alone do not determine the ranking.
Singapore remains at the top
Singapore continues to hold the world’s strongest passport, with access to 192 destinations.
Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates share second place, offering access to 188 destinations. Germany, France and Spain each provide entry to more than 185 destinations, while the United States and the United Kingdom remain among the higher-ranked passports.