PH passport places 77th in international passport ‘power’ index

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine passport placed 77th out of 111 in the 2022 Henley Passport Index (HPI), slightly higher than 2021’s 82nd spot.

The country’s past ranking in 2021 at 82nd out of 116, was the lowest for the country’s main international travel document since 2006, while the current ranking now is tied with the country’s spot in 2019.

READ: Philippine passport’s ‘power’ wanes in 2021 global travel freedom index

According to Henley & Partners, the firm that oversees the global index of passport power, it assessed the strength of the passports of 199 countries — with each passport scored based on the total number of destinations a holder of the passport could access visa-free.

This means a score of one is given in each travel destination where the passport would not be required to come with a visa. On the other hand, a score of zero is given for each travel destination where the passport would be required to come with a visa — that is, a passport-holder must apply for a government-approved electronic visa before departure.

In the 2022 HPI, Philippine passport holders tied with Cape Verde Islands with a total of only 66 visa-free destinations, which is still the same as last year’s.

The Philippine passport’s rank last peaked at 62nd for three consecutive years in 2007, 2008, and 2009.

Meanwhile, below are the Top 10 strongest passports – with the number of destinations their passport holders can go to visa-free –  according to the latest HPI:

• Japan, Singapore – 192 countries
• Germany, South Korea – 190
• Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain – 189
• Austria, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Sweden – 188
• Ireland, Portugal – 187
• Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States – 186
• Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Greece, Malta – 185
• Hungary, Poland – 183
• Lithuania, Slovakia – 182
• Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia – 181

Meanwhile, Afghanistan is still ranked lowest on the list at 111th, with only 26 countries to which Afghan passport holders can travel visa-free.

It is followed by Iraq with only 28 countries, Syria with 29, Pakistan with 31, Yemen with 33, and Somalia with 34.

The latest and complete HPI ratings can be found here: The Henley Passport Index.

ATM