Southeast Asia's 2nd most powerful passport jumps one place in 2026 Henley ranking

In December last year, the Malaysian passport jumped two places to return to the top 10 after seven years.

In 2018, it secured 10th place in the ranking but slipped out of the top 10 in the following years.

In Southeast Asia, Malaysia's passport was the second most powerful after Singapore's.

Singapore continues holding the title of the world's most powerful passport, allowing visa-free entry to 192 destinations, followed by Japan and South Korea that shared the second position.

The five weakest passports belong to Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan.

The Henley Passport Index tracks global travel freedom across 227 countries and territories, using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

It ranks 199 passports based on the number of destinations their holders can enter without obtaining a visa in advance. Updated regularly throughout the year to reflect changes in visa policies, the index is widely regarded as a key measure of global mobility.

Malaysia recently announced it will roll out a newly designed passport with enhanced security features in the coming six month.