Greece continues to demonstrate strong global mobility, securing the sixth position in the latest Henley Passport Index. The Greek passport grants its holders visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 186 destinations worldwide.
Global standing of Greece’s passport
Greece is placed in a competitive group, tied with Hungary, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden. It ranks just behind other top European nations like Germany, Italy, and Spain.
The index, which measures passport strength by the number of countries a holder can enter without a prior visa, highlights a clear hierarchy, with Singapore (193 destinations), South Korea (190), and Japan (189) holding the top spots.
The US slide
In a notable shift, the United States dropped out of the top 10 for the first time, now tied for 12th place with Malaysia, offering access to 180 destinations. The decline is due to a series of countries either dropping visa-free access for US citizens or excluding the US from new, expanded visa-free programs.
The most significant direct loss was Brazil reinstating visa requirements for US, Canadian, and Australian citizens in April, explicitly citing a lack of reciprocity for Brazilian travelers entering the United States.
The Henley Passport Index notes a growing issue with the US’s low standing on the Henley Openness Index. While US passport holders can access 180 destinations visa-free, the US itself allows only 46 other nationalities to enter without a visa.
This wide disparity between the travel freedom US citizens enjoy and the openness the US offers to others is seen as a driver for other countries to impose reciprocal visa requirements.
In essence, the index’s creators suggest that countries embracing openness and cooperation are moving ahead, while those “resting on past privilege,” like the US, are falling behind as other nations push for greater reciprocity.
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