Khaberni - In an unprecedented shift, the United States has dropped out of the top 10 most powerful passports in the world for the first time in 20 years, reflecting a clear decline in the status of this superpower on the global freedom of movement scale.
According to the latest ranking by the Henley Passport Index, which measures the number of countries that holders of each passport can enter without a prior visa, the American passport now ranks twelfth globally, tied with Malaysia in the same ranking, having been in seventh place last year and then falling to tenth in July before officially exiting the top ten.
Notably, a decade ago, the United States topped the global ranking. This decline is the most severe since the index began about 20 years ago, according to "The Guardian".
Christian H. Kaelin, the chairman of Henley and the creator of the index, said in a press release: "The decline in the power of the American passport over the past decade is not just an adjustment in the rankings, but indicates a radical shift in the dynamics of global mobility and soft power."
He added: "Countries that embrace openness and cooperation steadily advance, while those that rely on past privileges are declining."
Asia Leads
Asian countries dominate the top spots in the index, with Singapore in first place with access to 193 destinations visa-free, followed by South Korea with 190 destinations, and then Japan with 189 destinations.
Henley & Partners, based in London, is among the leading firms specializing in residence and citizenship consulting, and uses data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to issue its annual rankings for about two decades.
The decline of the American passport is partly due to stricter immigration and travel policies during President Donald Trump's administration, which initially targeted undocumented immigrants before extending to wider restrictions affecting tourists, international students, and foreign workers.
Henley & Partners emphasized that the principle of reciprocity plays a key role in the ranking. While holders of the American passport can enter 180 destinations without a visa, the United States only allows 46 nationalities to enter its territory visa-free, which weakens its relative standing in the index.
In April of last year, Brazil ended visa-free entry for Americans, alongside Canadians and Australians, citing the absence of reciprocity.
China and Vietnam also excluded the United States from new lists of countries eligible for visa-free tourism, reflecting a cooling of diplomatic relations and increasing barriers to reciprocal travel.
According to the firm, countries that offer their citizens broad mobility freedoms but restrict entry to others, like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, have all experienced stagnation or decline in the strength of their passports in recent years.
This reflects the shift in the balance of global powers, where Asian and European countries are advancing in diplomatic openness and ease of movement.
Interest in Dual Nationality
The report indicates that this decline in the ranking of the American passport is fueling a growing desire among Americans to obtain dual nationalities, in an attempt to expand travel freedom and reduce restrictions.
Peter J. Spiro, Professor of Law at Temple University, said: "In the coming years, more Americans will acquire additional nationalities by all possible means, as dual nationality has become an increasingly reality in American society."
He concluded by saying: "Perhaps dual nationality has become the new American dream."
