According to the first annual Global Passport Index published by Henley & Partners, a global citizenship and housing consultancy based in London, UK, Japan retained the top spot in 2023, while Malaysia slipped to the 14th position.
Japanese citizens lead with 193 visa-free places, up from last year. Singapore, which tied with Japan for the top spot last year, maintained its visa-free areas but dropped in ranking. South Korea added two visa-free zones but kept its ranking.
After those three Asian countries, many European countries rank high. Germany and Spain share 3rd place with 190 visa-free places. Germany loses one visa-free spot. Spain maintains its ranking and adds one visa-free place. Finland, Italy, and Luxembourg rank 4th with 189 visa-free locations.
Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden are tied for 5th with 188 visa-free locations; France, Ireland, Portugal, and the UK are 6th with 187; Belgium, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and the US are 7th with 186.
Malaysian passports rank 14th with 179 visa-free places, down two from last year.
