The graph below shows the weakest passports in the world in 2024 based on data from the Henley & Partners Passport Index 2024 annual report. This ranking is based on the number of countries that grant visa-free access to passport holders. The fewer countries allow visa-free access, the weaker the power of that passport.
According to this ranking, the Afghan passport is the weakest in the world, as it is only granted visa-free access to 12% of the total number of countries in the world. In contrast, the strongest passports like Japan are granted visa-free access to 85% of countries. Along with the economic issue, this discrepancy mainly stems from political factors, especially when the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021.
The second weakest passport in the world is Syria, as it is only granted visa-free access to 29 countries. Since the outbreak of the civil war in 2011, nearly half of Syria’s population (equivalent to about 11 million people at that time) has fled the country.
Even North Korea – one of the most closed countries in the world – is granted visa-free access to more places than other countries. North Korean citizens can enter 42 countries around the world without a visa. However, leaving the country without government approval is illegal in North Korea, making the North Korean passport the rarest in the world.
Vietnam is also among the weakest passports in the world, as it is only granted visa-free access to 55 countries, along with two other Southeast Asian countries, Laos (51 countries) and Myanmar (48 countries).
