Charted: The Least Powerful Passports in 2025
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A strong passport provides greater travel freedom, lower costs, and easier global mobility for work, study, and leisure. On the other hand, people with passports that offer fewer visa-free entries—often from countries experiencing conflict or authoritarian rule—face significant travel restrictions. So, which passports are the least powerful in 2025?
This ranking is based on data from Henley & Partners, which determines the number of countries a passport holder can visit visa-free.
Middle Eastern Passports Rank the Lowest
The Middle East dominates the lower end of the rankings, with Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq offering visa-free access to only about 30 countries each. Notably, these nations have experienced prolonged conflicts and continue to deal with the aftermath of war and terrorism.
Other Asian and African countries round out the list, with no representation from North or South America, Europe, or Oceania.
| Rank | Country | Visa-Free Access |
|---|---|---|
| 99th |  Afghanistan |
25 |
| 98th |  Syria |
27 |
| 97th |  Iraq |
30 |
| 96th |  Pakistan |
32 |
| 96th |  Yemen |
32 |
| 95th |  Somalia |
33 |
| 94th |  Nepal |
38 |
| 93rd |  Palestinian Territory |
39 |
| 93rd |  Libya |
39 |
| 93rd |  Bangladesh |
39 |
| 92nd |  North Korea |
40 |
| 92nd |  Eritrea |
40 |
| 91st |  Sudan |
42 |
| 91st |  Sri Lanka |
42 |
| 91st |  Iran |
42 |
Many of these nations also struggle with low economic output. Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, and Sudan are among the poorest countries in the world, further limiting travel opportunities for their citizens.
Learn More on the Voronoi App 
If you enjoyed this content, check out The Most Powerful Passports in 2025, listing the 15 countries with the most visa-free access. To put it into perspective, a Singaporean passport grants access to 169 more destinations visa-free compared to an Afghan passport.
The post Charted: The Least Powerful Passports in 2025 appeared first on Visual Capitalist.