Israeli passport strength climbs to 19th worldwide, up 2 spots

The Israeli passport is now ranked as the 19th most powerful in the world, according to the 2025 Henley Passport Global Ranking Index released on Thursday. The Israeli passport advanced two slots compared to the previous year when it was ranked 21st. The improved ranking could potentially surprise many Israelis given the vocal anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiments worldwide following the Hamas invasion and attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The passport ranking is based on several factors, including the number of visa-free destinations available. Israeli passport holders can currently travel to 170 countries worldwide without needing to apply for a visa. However, some destinations require Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), also known as a visa, on arrival.

Singapore topped the list, allowing its passport holders visa-free access to 195 countries. Japan was ranked second, followed by Finland, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea and Spain.

The United States passport fell from the 7th place to the 9th slot. American passport holders are currently able to visit 186 countries without a visa.

A few years ago, the Israeli passport was ranked 24th. Its rise in the global passport strength index is attributed to several factors, including the signing of the historic Abraham Accords in 2020, when Israel normalized ties with four Arab states – the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.

Although the United States and Israel are close allies, Washington previously required Israeli passport holders to apply for a visa before traveling to the U.S. However, in September 2023, after almost a decade of efforts, the United States approved Israel’s entry to the U.S. Visa Waiver program.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed Israel's entry as the 41st member of the U.S. program.

“Israel’s entry into the Visa Waiver Program represents a critical step forward in our strategic partnership with Israel that will further strengthen long-standing people-to-people engagement, economic cooperation, and security coordination between our two countries,” Blinken stated.

Israel’s rise in the passport index ranking signals that the country is, in practice, far less isolated than it used to be. Following the Yom Kippur War in 1973, many African nations cut their diplomatic relations with Israel due to Arab diplomatic and financial pressure. However, by 2021, Israel had established diplomatic relations with 168 countries across the globe.

There are currently 28 UN member states that do not have any diplomatic ties with the State of Israel.

The overwhelming majority of these states are Arab or Muslim-majority countries, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Malaysia, Algeria, Pakistan and Indonesia.

Isaeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump have indicated they wish to expand the Abraham Accords, which could potentially lead to a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia and other Muslim-majority nations. Such a development would further strengthen the Israeli passport.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan ranked at the bottom of the global passport index, allowing its passport holders to visit just 26 countries without holding a visa. Other countries at the bottom of the list included Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Pakistan and Somalia.

Although the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank is not a de facto state, its passport ranks 100th, providing visa-free access to 40 countries.