One of London’s most famous landmarks, in the distance, is the Tower Bridge. Inset: The Tower Bridge, with its distinctive light blue and grey colours, is a bascule and suspension bridge on the River Thames, closer to the Tower of London. Photos: Rama Gaind.
The Australian passport is now one of the most powerful in the world — jumping into the top five for the very first time — with the most visa-free access to global destinations.
Have passport, will travel is a well-worn adage, but it cements the fact that the ‘little blue book’ is more than our ticket to the world!
Statistics from the Australian Passport Office reveal there are more than 14.2 million Australians who have a current passport — that’s more than 53 per cent of the population. A valid passport with six months remaining until the expiration date is required for entry into many countries.
According to the Henley Passport Index rankings, we have proudly claimed fifth place — tied with Portugal — in 2024, thanks to this handy little travel document that grants us visa-free access to 189 out of 227 destinations worldwide. This includes entry ports with visas-on-arrival, visitor permits and electronic travel authorities.
A few years ago, it was a brother’s oversight in not renewing his passport that robbed him of a lucrative business deal overseas, resulting in disappointment. On the flip side, I realised the significance of being ‘ever ready’ because having a valid passport enabled me to fly to Europe to bolster professional ventures, and attend hastily-organised reunions in London and Switzerland!
Seeking a wanderlust lifestyle has turned me into an exuberant globetrotter!
Australia has continued to climb up the rung of global passport strength, making its way into the top five countries with the most visa-free access to destinations around the world. We have jumped up from the number six spot last year, and eighth place in 2022.
The index is created by London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners, using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), covering 199 passports and 227 travel destinations.
Meandering through the hustle and bustle at Zurich’s main railway station, Zurich Hauptbahnhof, before boarding a train to Milan. Photo: Rama Gaind.
Who is at the top of the powerful passport ladder? Singapore takes that title, for the second successive year. In second place are Spain, France, Italy, Germany and Japan, with a visa-free access score of 192.
In third place come an ‘unprecedented’ group of seven countries together — Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea and Sweden — each with visa-free access to 191 global destinations.
The fourth rank goes to the United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland, all achieving a visa-free score of 190.
Taking out the five lowest spots after Afghanistan are Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan and Somalia.
Chairman of Henley & Partners Christian Kaelin states: “The general trend over the past two decades has been towards greater travel freedom, with the global average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free nearly doubling from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024.
“However, the global mobility gap between those at the top and bottom of the index is now wider than it has ever been, with top-ranked Singapore able to access a record-breaking 169 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan.”
Your Australian passport is a valuable document. It’s your proof of identity and citizenship overseas. Photo: Supplied.
At their best, passports can be symbols of freedom and independence, giving the ability to move about the world as yourself. A traditional passport (also called a ‘passport book’) is a valid ID for all forms of travel — land, sea and air — both internationally and domestically.
Of the 227 destinations Henley & Partners marks passport power against, Australian citizens only require a visa to travel to 37.
Australian passport holders have visa-free and visas-on-arrival access to countries such as Japan, the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, USA and the entire European Union. Some of the geographically closest countries Australians can travel to without prior visa authorisation include Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, China, New Zealand, Samoa and Fiji.
Smartraveller advocates your passport to be a valuable document. Protect your proof of identity and citizenship overseas. You are responsible for ensuring your passport isn’t damaged, and it should be stored securely. A passport is the prerequisite for visas to cross borders (sometimes, with some conditions) making the application process a lot easier.
Of all the records in the world, the best stories are found between the pages of our little blue books, a passport which opens the door to a majority of the world. In addition to making memories, its other benefits include work and study opportunities abroad, international romance and, you can fondly reminisce through your travel diary, which opens the door to an astonishing reality of anecdotes, narratives and destinations.
