Canada Ranks Among The World’s Top Most Powerful Passports

Canada ranks among the world’s top most powerful passports, i.e., Henley & Partners has released its latest global passport rankings, and the Canadian passport remains one of the strongest in the world.

In the 2026 Henley Passport Index, Canada ranked eighth out of nearly 200 passports. Canadian passport holders can travel visa-free to 181 destinations.

Canada also continues to rank ahead of the United States, which placed tenth this year.

Which Passports Rank Among The Top 10 Most Powerful In 2026?

This year, 38 passports made the top 10 list because of multiple ties across most ranking positions, except for first, ninth, and tenth place.

Most of the top-ranked passports belong to European countries, with 29 European passports appearing in the top 10.

Canada shares its eighth-place position with Iceland and Lithuania. These countries received the same “visa score,” which shows how many destinations a passport holder can enter without a visa.

In 2025, Canada’s ranking changed throughout the year. It placed seventh in January, eighth in July, and ninth in October. In 2026, it moved back up to eighth place.

The table below shows the passports that ranked in the top 10 in the January 2026 Henley Passport Index.

The three strongest passports this year come from Asia. Singapore remains in first place, offering visa-free access to 192 destinations.

Moreover, South Korea continues to hold second place, but now shares the rank with Japan, which previously placed third.

Third place is shared by five European countries. Each allows visa-free travel to 186 destinations:

• Denmark: Previously ranked fifth, moved up two places.
• Luxembourg: Previously ranked fourth, moved up one place.
• Spain: Previously ranked fourth, moved up one place.
• Sweden: Previously ranked sixth, moved up three places.
• Switzerland: Previously ranked sixth, moved up three places.

The United States passport returned to the top 10 this year after dropping to 12th place last year. That was its first time outside the top 10 in more than 20 years.

Henley & Partners reported that the United States experienced its largest yearly drop in visa-free access in the past year. Over the last 20 years, the U.S. passport has seen the third-largest decline in ranking. In 2014, the U.S. passport was ranked first, tied with the United Kingdom.

There is also a major difference between how freely Americans can travel and how freely others can enter the U.S. While U.S. passport holders can visit 179 destinations without a visa, the U.S. allows visa-free entry to citizens of only 46 countries. This places the country 78th out of 199 on the Henley Openness Index. This index measures how open a country is to visitors from other nations.

At the bottom of the list, Afghanistan remains in last place, just as it did last year. Afghan passport holders can travel visa-free to only 24 destinations.

How Are The Rankings Calculated?

The Henley Passport Index uses exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), along with analysis by Henley & Partners. The index ranks 199 passports across 227 travel destinations.

Each passport is given a “visa score,” which is the number of destinations the holder can enter without needing a visa in advance.

This score directly decides the ranking of each passport and shows the overall travel freedom of its holders.

For the purpose of the index, a destination is counted as visa-free if it allows:

• Visa-free entry
• Visa on arrival
• A visitor permit
• Entry through electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

Any destination that requires a visa or e-visa before travel is not included in the visa-free total.

Applying For A Canadian Passport

To apply for a Canadian passport, a person must be a Canadian citizen. Citizenship can be obtained by:

• Being born in Canada
• Becoming a citizen through naturalization
• Receiving citizenship by descent

In December 2025, Canada passed Bill C-3. This law removed the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent. As a result, many people who had lost or could not claim Canadian citizenship became eligible again.

CanadaVisa has introduced an online tool to help people check if they qualify for citizenship by descent under the new law. If eligible, they can apply to the federal government for proof of citizenship.

Moreover, holding a Canadian passport offers many benefits beyond visa-free travel to 181 destinations. These benefits include the right to enter and leave Canada freely, permanent and secure status in the country, and the right to vote in elections.

How To Apply For A Canadian Passport?

Eligible applicants can apply for a Canadian passport either in person at a Service Canada office or by mail. The following documents must be included:

• The application form (PPTC 153)
• Proof of Canadian citizenship (birth certificate or citizenship certificate)
• Proof of identity (such as a foreign passport)
• Two identical passport photos

Applicants must also provide the name of a guarantor and two references.

After submitting the application, the passport may be issued in as little as 10 business days if the application was submitted in person at a Service Canada location.

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