The Maldives has climbed one place in the latest Henley Passport Index, reinforcing its position as the strongest passport in South Asia.
Compiled annually by Henley & Partners using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the index ranks passports based on visa-free access. In the 2025 ranking, the Maldivian passport placed 52nd, up from 53rd last year, offering visa-free access to 92 destinations.
Within South Asia, India ranks second at 80th, with its passport allowing visa-free travel to 55 countries. Bhutan follows in third place with access to 50 destinations, while Sri Lanka’s passport allows entry to 39 countries without a visa.
Globally, Asian passports continue to dominate the top of the index. Singapore retained the top spot with visa-free access to 192 destinations. South Korea remains in second place, now sharing the rank with Japan. Third place is jointly held by five European countries—Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland—each granting visa-free access to 186 destinations.
The United States passport also saw a notable improvement, re-entering the top 10 after dropping to 12th last year, its first exit from the top tier in two decades.
The Henley Passport Index ranks 199 passports across 227 destinations and assigns each a visa score based on the number of places accessible without obtaining a prior visa.
