<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Every </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/australia" rel="" target="" title="Australian"><span>Australian</span></a><span> </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/travel" rel="" target="" title="traveller"><span>traveller</span></a><span> knows how important their passport is, but some might be surprised to learn it just got a little less powerful.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The little blue book joined its counterparts in the US and UK in a slight drop down the rankings in the latest Henley Passport Index, updated on Tuesday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The index counts the number of countries a passport provides visa-free travel, based on International Air Transport Association (IATA) data, to rank their power.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/two-thirds-australian-workers-looking-to-change-jobs-hays-salary-guide/a1d0de79-e91b-45d3-ac55-b4eb4a18dc98"><strong><span>Staggering number of workers about to quit their jobs</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It doesn't take into account how easy it is to move permanently to another country or other factors.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australia was fifth alongside Portugal this time last year but dropped to seventh on the latest figures, sitting alongside Czechia, Hungary, Malta and Poland.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Aussie travellers now have visa-free access to four fewer countries but it's unclear which ones.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/henley-passport-index-these-are-the-most-powerful-in-the-world-this-year/8d27b4e8-47c5-4813-a2fc-8df884c4b9c4" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The UK in sixth with 186 countries and close neighbour New Zealand in fifth with 187 both did a little bit better but also suffered slight falls, down from a tie for fourth.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Asian countries further established their lead over a pack of European nations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Singapore maintained its lead on top of the ranks with visa-free access to 193 countries while South Korea joined Japan in second with 190 nations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It continues a trend established over the past 10 years as the US and UK passports dropped from the most powerful in the world in 2015 and 2014.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/ali-france-new-labor-mp-for-dickson-details-grief-amid-battle-to-take-down-peter-dutton/dc21e543-46d3-499e-89d4-adcfc8314e61"><strong><span>How grieving mum took down 'one of the most prolific politicians of our time'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The US was ranked eighth last year but dropped to 10th, losing easy travel access to four countries to end up with 182. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The index concept's inventor said global mobility was increasingly competitive. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The consolidation we're seeing at the top underscores that access is earned — and must be maintained — through active and strategic diplomacy," he said, in a statement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Nations that proactively negotiate visa waivers and nurture reciprocal agreements continue to rise, while the opposite applies to those that are less engaged in such efforts."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>China and the United Arab Emirates are key examples, rising dozens of places in the past decade.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/blacktown-hospital-grandfather-lay-on-hospital-floor-for-more-than-24-hours/01e8452d-b7f0-4cac-b059-94562a3438cc"><strong><span>'Not good enough': Grandfather lay on hospital floor for more than 24 hours</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>China has risen from 94th to 60th despite their travellers still needing to apply for visas to the 29 countries in Europe's Schengen area and the UAE surged from 42nd to eight. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Henley said as emerging economies libearlised their visa regimes and invested in diplomacy, legacy powers such as the US and UK appeared to be retreating behind more entry restrictions. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Americans are now leading the demand worldwide for alternative residence and citizenship options, with British nationals also among the top five globally," Henley and Partners chief executive Dr Juerg Steffen said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>As the US and UK adopt increasingly inward-looking policies, we're witnessing a marked rise in interest from their citizens seeking greater global access and security.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Your passport is no longer just a travel document — it's a reflection of your country's diplomatic influence and international relationships.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In an era of growing inequality and mounting geopolitical uncertainty, strategic mobility and citizenship planning are more critical than ever."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/father-of-three-jailed-after-spraying-chilli-substance-in-bunnings-which-left-11-people-in-hospital/e1ee00ef-21e8-4e10-832e-caae4f5fc3ee"><strong><span>Man jailed over Bunnings chilli spray that left 11 people in hospital</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="styles__Wrapper-sc-2o34ro-0 cmwkBV"><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><a href="/content/2024/01/11/08/04/most-powerful-passports-world-2024-henley-passport-index"><img alt="" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 636px, (min-width: 768px) 396px, 100vw" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/uC3lNd7z3pvYYJW4aMRcoUvhSBU=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Fa39e81a7-0630-4a84-96a9-f0eedc914b65" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/uC3lNd7z3pvYYJW4aMRcoUvhSBU=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Fa39e81a7-0630-4a84-96a9-f0eedc914b65 396w, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/2J3jY1TiDBixoHD_o7gDMKh0Odw=/636x358/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Fa39e81a7-0630-4a84-96a9-f0eedc914b65 636w"/></a></div><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><div class="styles__Headline-sc-2o34ro-4 hpbOlz">The most powerful passports in the world for 2024 revealed</div><div class="styles__Button-sc-2o34ro-1 eBjlmW"><a class="styles__ButtonLink-sc-2o34ro-2 hqpklJ" href="/content/2024/01/11/08/04/most-powerful-passports-world-2024-henley-passport-index">View Gallery</a></div></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h2><strong><span>Here's the full top 10:</span></strong></h2></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ol><li><span>Singapore (193)</span></li><li><span>Japan, South Korea (190)</span></li><li><span>Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain (189)</span></li><li><span>Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden (188)</span></li><li><span>Greece, New Zealand, Switzerland (187)</span></li><li><span>United Kingdom (186)</span></li><li><span>Australia, Czechia, Hungary, Malta, Poland (185)</span></li><li><span>Canada, Estonia, United Arab Emirates (184)</span></li><li><span>Croatia, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia (183)</span></li><li><span>Iceland, Lithuania, USA (182)</span></li></ol></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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