American passport not as highly effective because it was once, dropping to tenth place in an annual rating

[ad_1] The U.S. is on the point of exiting the highest 10 in an annual rating of the world's strongest passports for the primary time within the index's 20-year historical past.

American passports fell to a tenth place tie, collectively held by Iceland and Lithuania, on this yr's Henley Passport Index — which bases its rankings on what number of locations a passport's holder can enter with no visa. The U.S. has fallen within the rankings yearly since 2014, when its passports have been ranked as probably the most highly effective.

The U.S. has visa-free entry to 182 locations, whereas a passport from Singapore, which holds the highest spot, grants the holder visa-free entry to 193 locations, in keeping with the Index. In a Tuesday information launch, Henley, a London-based international migration advisor group, famous that nations just like the U.S. and U.Ok. "seem like retreating behind extra restrictive entry insurance policies."

"Your passport is not only a journey doc — it is a reflection of your nation's diplomatic affect and worldwide relationships," Henley & Companions CEO Dr. Juerg Steffen stated in a information launch.

American vacationers can discover out which nations require a visa by utilizing the U.S. State Division's Learn About Your Destination search tool.

The U.S. additionally ranks low on "openness," solely permitting 46 different nationalities to go to visa-free.

The State Division didn't instantly reply to CBS Information' request for remark.

In second place on this yr's checklist are Japan and South Korea, with passports from these nations each granting holders visa-free entry to 190 different nations. Many of the remaining prime 10 slots, which embrace a number of tied rankings, are held by European nations, except for the United Arab Emirates and Canada in a tie for eighth place and the U.S. within the 10 spot.

Afghanistan is ranked final. Its passport grants visa-free entry to simply 25 nations.

Henley says its index is predicated on unique knowledge from the Worldwide Air Transport Affiliation, a serious journey info database.

"The consolidation we're seeing on the prime underscores that entry is earned – and have to be maintained – by means of energetic and strategic diplomacy," stated Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, inventor of the passport-index idea, in an announcement. "Nations that proactively negotiate visa waivers and nurture reciprocal agreements proceed to rise, whereas the other applies to those who are much less engaged in such efforts."

Extra from CBS Information

Aliza Chasan

Aliza Chasan is a Digital Content material Producer for "60 Minutes" and CBSNews.com. She has beforehand written for shops together with PIX11 Information, The New York Each day Information, Inside Version and DNAinfo. Aliza covers trending information, usually specializing in crime and politics.