[News Terms] South Korea Ranks 2nd in the 'Global Passport Index'

Japan, Singapore, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain Tie for 1st Place
South Korea Can Enter 193 Countries Visa-Free
North Korea Ranks 97th with Visa-Free Access to 42 Countries

The 'World Passport Index' is an annual ranking of the passport power of countries worldwide, published by the UK-based international exchange specialist Henley & Partners. It was created by Christian Kaelin, CEO (Chairman) of Henley & Partners, and since it is published by Henley & Partners, it is commonly referred to as the 'Henley Passport Index.'

The Henley Passport Index (HPI) is a ranking calculated since 2006 by Henley & Partners based on global travel data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), summing up how many countries holders of a specific passport can visit without a visa.

Passport awaiting issuance.
Photo by Yonhap News

The Henley Passport Index quantifies how easily holders of a particular passport can enter other countries through visa-free, visa-on-arrival, or electronic visa methods. Visa-on-arrival means that travelers can obtain a visa by submitting an application form and paying a fee upon arrival at the entry point without complicated procedures before departure. An electronic visa is issued online and has a simpler issuance process than a regular visa.

According to the 2024 first-quarter passport index released on the 10th (local time) by Henley & Partners, holders of a South Korean passport can enter 193 countries without a visa. South Korea ranks joint 2nd alongside Finland and Sweden. Last year in the second half, South Korea was ranked 3rd (189 countries), so it has risen one spot in just half a year.

South Korea’s passport index, which had fallen to 13th place in 2013, has maintained around 190 countries since 2018, holding either 2nd or 3rd place.

This year, the joint 1st place is held by six countries: Japan, Singapore, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Citizens of these countries can enter 194 countries visa-free. This is the first time since the index began in 2006 that six countries have simultaneously shared the top spot.

Former President Moon Jae-in presents appointment letters to the group BTS at the Presidential Special Envoy Appointment Ceremony in September 2021, and hands over diplomatic passports and souvenirs (fountain pens) to the BTS members.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The country with the steepest rise in ranking over the past 10 years is the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Ranked 55th in 2014 (77 countries), the UAE added 106 countries over ten years to reach 11th place this year. The UK is 4th (191 countries), the US 7th (188 countries), and China ranks 62nd (85 countries).

The lowest rank is Afghanistan at 104th place (28 countries), and North Korea is tied with Bangladesh at 97th place (42 countries). Syria ranks 103rd (29 countries), and Iraq 102nd (31 countries), placing them near the bottom alongside Afghanistan.

Christian Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners, stated in a press release that "the average number of countries travelers can visit without a visa has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 this year," but "the gap between the top-ranked countries this year and the lowest-ranked Afghanistan is 166 countries, the largest ever."