In its July 22 announcement, the Henley Passport Index ranked Vietnam’s passport 84th in the world, up 7 notches from its 91st position in quarter I this year.

With the improved ranking, Vietnamese passport holders are able to enjoy visa-free, e-visa, electronic travel authorisation, or visa-on-arrival access to 51 out of 227 countries and territories in the world. This includes ASEAN member states, and countries like Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Iran.

Over the past 19 years, Vietnam’s passport has ranked between a high of 78 and a low of 94. The current 84th place is considered a moderate position, but it signals a positive upward trend in the past two years.

In the same Henley Passport Index ranking, the United States is now on the verge of falling out of the top 10 most powerful passports in the world, despite once holding the top position in 2014. This marks the lowest ranking for the US in the past 20 years.

Singapore continues to hold its position as the world’s most powerful passport, offering visa-free or e-visa access to 193 countries and territories. Japan and the Republic of Korea are tied in second place, with access to 190 destinations without a prior visa.

Several European Union countries, including Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain, along with Finland, share third place, with visa-free access to 189 destinations.

Seven European countries occupying fourth place are Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden, each with access to 188 destinations.

Greece, Switzerland, and New Zealand are in fifth place, with visa-free access to 187 destinations.

The Henley Passport Index, published quarterly by Henley & Partners, ranks global passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. It's widely recognized in international mobility and citizenship planning sectors.

Looking for ways to upgrade Vietnamese passports' power

The recent announcement from the Henley & Partners Passport Index shows that Vietnam passport's strength has dropped for the second time in a row since January last year – and is now ranked 91st globally.