The South African passport has fallen from 53rd place to 56th place on the Henley Passport Index. The index ranks the world’s passports according to the number of countries their holders can visit without obtaining a tourist visa.
‘The South African passport is ranked 56th on the Henley index and has a government integrity score of 39.7 out of 100. These results imply that governments associated with relatively high corruption have difficulties increasing their visa-free destinations, while high-functioning states are likely to have stronger passports,’ the report says.
Japan is in the lead for the third year in a row, with Singapore in 2nd place and South Korea ranked to 3rd alongside Germany. Last on the list with the least ‘travel friendly’ passport is Afghanistan.
‘Asian countries’ dominance of the top spots is a clear argument for the benefits of open-door policies and the introduction of mutually beneficial trade agreements. Over the past few years, we have seen the world adapt to mobility as a permanent condition of global life. The latest rankings show that the countries that embrace this reality are thriving, with their citizens enjoying ever-increasing passport power and the array of benefits that come with it,’ said Christian H Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners.
The South African government has stated it aims to encourage travel freedom and has a target of attracting more than 21-million international visitors by 2030, according to TimesLive.
See the full index here.
Also read: Prices for Schengen Visa to increase in 2020
Image: Unsplash
