KUALA LUMPUR - Vietnam’s passport has climbed five places in the latest Henley Passport Index, a global ranking that measures the strength of passports based on visa-free travel.

The index uses exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and analysis by Henley & Partners, a firm specialising in residence and citizenship planning.

Vietnamese passport holders can now enter 49 destinations without a visa, or with visa on arrival, electronic travel authorisation, or similar simplified entry procedures, out of 199 countries and territories worldwide.

These destinations are mostly in the ASEAN region, including Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, as well as some island nations and developing countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

The number of visa-free destinations has slightly declined compared with December 2025 after Bolivia removed Vietnam from its visa exemption list.

Vietnam is ranked 80th globally in terms of national openness, granting visa-free access to nearly 40 destinations.

Singapore remains the world’s most powerful passport, offering entry to 192 destinations without a visa, while Japan and South Korea are tied for second with 188 destinations.

Several EU member states, including Denmark, France, Germany and Sweden, are also near the top, and the US passport has returned to the global top 10, climbing one spot from December 2025.

Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA, said, “2026 is expected to record the highest level of global travel on record.”

Over 20 years, Vietnam’s passport has seen significant fluctuations, reaching a high of 78th in 2006–2007, and the 2026 ranking is its best since 2020.