Moroccan passport ranks 73 globally in major shake-up in new power ranking

According to the most recent ranking released today as part of the Henley Global Mobility Report 2023 Q3, Japan has fallen to third place on the Henley Passport Index for the first time in five years, with Morocco placing 73.

Singapore’s citizens can now visit 192 of the world’s 227 tourist destinations without a visa, making it the most powerful passport in the world.

“Far more than just a travel document that defines our freedom of movement, a strong passport also provides significant financial freedoms in terms of international investment and business opportunities,” said Henley & Partners, a global citizenship and residence advisory firm based in London.

In the same 2023 Q3 report, Morocco was ranked 58 in the Henley Openness Index (HOI), which is a reliable ranking of all 199 nations and territories based on the number of nationalities each allows to enter its borders without a prior visa. 

The HOI offers important insights into a nation’s level of international openness and its capacity to draw tourists and traders from abroad.

The Henley Passport Index (HPI), which ranks all passports in the world according to the number of places their holders can go to without a previous visa, is used to calculate the HOI. 

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is the largest and most reliable source of travel information, and the HPI is built exclusively on data from IATA, which has been further strengthened by the research team at Henley & Partners.

Back in March, the Moroccan passport occupied the 80 spot on the list after losing two spots. It has now gained seven spots. Algeria ranked 83, while Tunisia occupied the 70 spot, and Libya 95. 

Only 6% of passports worldwide allow visa-free access to more than 70% of existing destinations, and only 17% of countries grant their passport holders visa-free access to more than four-fifths of the world’s 227 destinations.