Kenya’s passport slipped one position to 68th place in the latest Henley Global Passport Index, granting visa-free access to 74 countries.
While Kenyan citizens enjoy visa-free travel to 74 countries, including Rwanda, Haiti, and South Africa, restrictions remain in place for travel to major destinations like the United States and the United Kingdom.
This decline comes amidst President William Ruto’s push to enhance global mobility for Kenyans, including the introduction of an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for visitors.
However, the ETA has faced criticism, with some arguing it may discourage inbound tourism.
Despite the slight drop, Kenya maintains a strong position within the African region. However, this pales in comparison to global leaders like Singapore, Japan, and several European nations that offer their citizens significantly greater travel freedom.
Henley Passport Index 2025: Top 10 strongest passports in the world
Rank 2025 | Country | Visa-free Score |
1 | Singapore | 195 |
2 | Japan | 193 |
3 | Finland | 192 |
4 | France | 191 |
4 | Germany | 191 |
4 | Italy | 191 |
4 | South Korea | 191 |
4 | Spain | 191 |
4 | Austria | 191 |
5 | Denmark | 190 |
5 | Ireland | 190 |
5 | Luxembourg | 190 |
5 | Netherlands | 190 |
5 | Norway | 190 |
5 | Sweden | 190 |
5 | Belgium | 190 |
6 | New Zealand | 189 |
6 | Portugal | 189 |
6 | Switzerland | 189 |
6 | United Kingdom | 189 |
6 | Australia | 189 |
7 | Greece | 188 |
7 | Canada | 188 |
8 | Malta | 187 |
8 | Poland | 187 |
8 | Czechia | 187 |
9 | Hungary | 186 |
9 | Estonia | 186 |
10 | United States | 185 |
10 | Latvia | 185 |
10 | United Arab Emirates | 185 |
10 | Lithuania | 185 |
Source: Henley Passport Index 2025
The bottom 10 weakest passports in the world
Rank 2025 | Country | Visa-free Score |
105 | Afghanistan | 27 |
104 | Syria | 31 |
103 | Yemen | 33 |
103 | Iraq | 33 |
103 | Pakistan | 33 |
102 | Somalia | 39 |
101 | Nepal | 39 |
100 | Libya | 40 |
100 | Palestinian Territory | 40 |
100 | Bangladesh | 40 |
99 | North Korea | 41 |
98 | Eritrea | 42 |
97 | Sudan | 43 |
96 | Sri Lanka | 44 |
Source: Henley Passport Index 2025
The Henley Passport Index highlights the disparities in global mobility and underscores the importance of diplomatic efforts to enhance travel freedom for all citizens.
Top 10 least powerful passports in Africa in 2025
Rank | Passport | Access (countries) | Global rank |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Somalia | 35 | 102nd |
2 | Libya | 40 | 100th |
3 | Eritrea | 42 | 98th |
4 | Sudan | 43 | 97th |
5 | South Sudan | 44 | 96th |
6 | Nigeria | 46 | 94th |
7 | Ethiopia | 46 | 94th |
8 | Congo (Dem. Rep.) | 46 | 94th |
9 | Djibouti | 49 | 93rd |
10 | Congo (Rep.) | 50 | 92nd |