If you want to visit the Great Wall of China or the Pyramids of Giza, you may need to apply for a visa first.
Some of the world’s wonders require US citizens to obtain a visa, which can be inconvenient when planning a long-awaited international trip.
US passport holders can travel to 179 countries without a visa, placing them 10th in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, which ranks passports based on the visa-free or visa-on-arrival access they provide to travelers using data from the International Air Transport Association.
Passports from 37 other nations provide better worldwide mobility than a US passport, including those from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
Singapore ranks #1 with its passport, which permits holders to travel to 192 countries without a visa. Japan was formerly ranked first, but has recently dropped to second place, joining South Korea with access to 188 countries.
The Henley Passport Index ranks the countries with the most powerful passports based on the amount of visa-free travel choices. This list is accurate as of January 2026.