The Nepali passport has once again ranked among the weakest globally. It has been placed at 101st in the 2025 Henley Passport Index , which ranks 199 passports based on the number of destinations their holders can visit without requiring a prior visa.  

Only six countries—Somalia, Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan—ranked lower. Nepali passport holders have visa-free access to just 39 of the 227 global destinations, as per the index.  

The Henley Passport Index is based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and is further refined with extensive in-house research and open-source online information, according to Henley and Partners .  

Somalia, ranked 102nd, has a visa-free score of 35, while Pakistan and Yemen share 103rd place with a score of 33. The bottom three positions are held by Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, with scores of 31, 27, and 26, respectively.  

Nepal's current ranking marks a decline from last year when it was ranked 98th alongside Libya and the Palestinian Territory, with a visa-free score of 40. Notably, the Palestinian Territory has now surpassed Nepal, ranking 100th with a score of 40, alongside Libya and Bangladesh.  

Experts attribute the declining strength of the Nepali passport to several factors, including frequent incidents of visa overstays by Nepali citizens, the use of forged documents, and cases of illegal migration. These issues have led to heightened scrutiny of Nepali travelers by many countries.  

At the other end of the spectrum, Singapore has retained its position as the world’s most powerful passport, granting its holders visa-free access to 195 destinations. Japan follows with a score of 193.  

Six countries—Finland, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea, and Spain—share 3rd place with a visa-free score of 192. Seven countries, including Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden, rank 4th with a score of 191.  

Five countries—Belgium, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom—rank 5th with visa-free access to 190 destinations.  

The United States is ranked 9th, with a visa-free score of 186.  

In South Asia, the Maldives leads the region, ranking 57th. Bhutan ranks 90th, while Sri Lanka holds the 96th position.  

Meanwhile, India’s passport dropped five spots to 85th, while China advanced two places to 60th.