Brazil influences US decline in passport rankings

When the ranking was created in 2006, Americans led the Henley Passport Index; now, it has only the tenth most valuable passport in the world, with no visa required to enter 180 countries.

Singapore came first in the ranking, with a passport that allows visa-free entry into 192 countries. Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates shared second place, as 188 countries do not require visas for citizens of these nations.

Brazil shared 16th position with Argentina, with 169 countries not requiring a visa. In 2006, the first year of the Henley Passport Index, Brazil had ranked 20th.

It is important to highlight, however, that as some countries share positions in the ranking, there are 45 nations whose passports have fewer visa requirements than Brazil’s currently.

The survey is carried out quarterly and in October last year, when the US passport momentarily fell to 12th place in the index, the Henley Passport Index cited Brazil as one of the reasons for the loss of American ratings in recent years.

“The loss of visa-free access to Brazil in April (in 2025), due to the lack of reciprocity, and the exclusion of the USA from China’s list of visa-free countries — which is being rapidly expanded — marked the beginning of this downward trajectory,” highlighted a statement from the ranking’s organizers.