Vietnamese Passport Reaches Highest Rank in 11 Years

	What is Current Rank of Vietnamese Passport in The World?
	Vietnam Ranks 88th in World's Powerful Passport Index

Vietnam previously held the 84th position in the global passport ranking by the Henley Passport Index (HPI) in 2014 and had not returned to this level until March 2026. In the January ranking, the Vietnamese passport was placed 86th.

The highest rankings Vietnam has ever achieved in the 20-year history of the HPI are 78th (in 2006 and 2007), 81st (in 2013 and 2014), and 84th (in 2010 and 2026). For the full year of 2025, Vietnam ranked 91st.

New Vietnamese passport design (Photo: Ngoc Nick M)

Although the passport climbed two places compared to January, the number of visa-free destinations decreased after Malawi removed visa exemption for Vietnamese citizens. Currently, Vietnamese travelers can access 48 destinations without a visa or with visa on arrival or an electronic travel authorization (ETA), out of a total of 199 countries and territories. In the December 2025 update, the Vietnamese passport allowed visa-free access to 50 destinations.

Passport rankings reflect a country’s level of global integration and openness. In terms of openness, Vietnam also rose three places, from 80th to 77th, as it grants visa exemptions to nearly 40 destinations.

Most destinations accessible to Vietnamese citizens without a visa or with visa on arrival are within ASEAN, including Thailand, Singapore, Myanmar, and Malaysia, as well as island nations such as Cape Verde, Comoros, Cook Islands, and Maldives.

48 Visa-Free Destinations for Vietnamese Citizens

No visa required: Barbados, Belarus, Brunei, Cambodia, Chile, Cook Islands, Dominica, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Panama, Philippines, Rwanda, Singapore, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Thailand

Visa on arrival (VOA): Burundi, Cape Verde, Comoros, Djibouti, Guinea-Bissau, Jordan, Madagascar, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tuvalu, Timor-Leste

Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA): Kenya, Seychelles, Sri Lanka

Singapore continues to hold the title of the world’s most powerful passport, with its citizens able to enter 192 destinations without a visa. The top 10 rankings remain largely unchanged, featuring familiar countries such as Japan, South Korea, and members of the European Union. Among them, the United Arab Emirates saw the most significant change, rising from the top 5 in January to second place in March.

Top 10 Most Powerful Passports in 2026 (as of March)

1. Singapore

2. Japan, South Korea, United Arab Emirates

3. Sweden

4. Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland

5. Austria, Greece, Malta, Portugal

6. Malaysia, Hungary, Poland, United Kingdom

7. Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Latvia, New Zealand, Slovakia, Slovenia

8. Croatia, Estonia

9. Liechtenstein, Lithuania

10. United States, Iceland

The Henley Passport Index is a ranking that evaluates the strength of passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without obtaining a visa in advance.

The ranking is compiled using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), combined with analysis by the research team of Henley & Partners, and is updated monthly.

Latest News Regarding Vietnam’s New-style Passports On July 1, Vietnam started issuing new passports, called “the blue-cover Vietnamese passports” which have been troublesome in some countries.

Vietnam, Dominica Sign Visa Exemption Agreement Vietnam and the Commonwealth of Dominica have signed an agreement on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and official passports.