Vietnam drops one spot in 2025 Henley Passport Index

The 91st place is because Vietnamese nationals can travel without a visa or by obtaining an e-visa, visa on arrival, or ETA (electronic travel authorization) to 51 out of the world's 199 countries and territories.

While the number of destinations is unchanged from Vietnam's previous 90th position, other countries have secured additional visa-free access, boosting their rankings and pushing Vietnam down by comparison.

The drop of one spot is the Vietnamese passport's second since the third quarter of 2024, before which it had been in 87th position.

A Vietnam's passport. Photo by Tien Ngoc

Some countries and territories Vietnamese citizens can enter without a visa or get an e-visa or visa on arrival include Southeast Asian neighbors, India, Maldives, and Taiwan.

Neighboring Singapore continues to have the most powerful passport in the world, with its citizens enjoying visa-free access to 195 countries and territories. Laos is ranked 93rd and Myanmar 94th, but all other countries in Southeast Asia rank above Vietnam, with their positions ranging from 51 to 89.

The five countries with the weakest passports are Pakistan and Yemen (both 103rd) with visa-free access to 33 destinations, Iraq (104th, 31 destinations), Syria (105th, 27 destinations), and Afghanistan (106th, 26 destinations).

The Henley & Partners ranking uses data from the International Air Transport Association, which maintains a large travel information database. The rankings have been published since 2006 and are listed two or three times a year. Another notable passport ranking is by Arton Capital, which evaluates 193 UN member states and six territories.

In Arton's Global Passport Ranking for 2025, the UAE holds the top spot.