The most powerful passports in the world in 2020, ranked

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Singapore, which ranked as the second best place to hold a passport from in 2020, tied for first place last year.

• The Henley Passport Index, an annual ranking of the most powerful passports in the world based on how many countries the holder can enter without a visa, was just released.
• Japan secured the top spot with access to 191 countries this year, a position it previously shared with Singapore.
• Asia dominated the list, with Singapore landing in the No. 2 spot while South Korea tied with Germany for No. 3.
• A US passport provides access to 183 countries in 2020, giving it an eighth place ranking. Passports from 16 other countries provide better access than the US. The country is also slipping in rank - last year it placed sixth.
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A passport from Japan opens more doors than a passport from anywhere else in the world, according to the newly released Henley Passport Index.

The index is an annual power ranking of passports determined by the total number of countries a passport holder can enter without a visa.

A Japanese passport promises uncomplicated travel to 191 other countries. In 2019, the passport promised access to 189 countries and tied with Singapore's passport for the world's most desirable travel document.

Singapore maintained access to 189 countries and placed second this year, followed closely by South Korea and Germany with access to 187 countries.

Passports from countries like Canada, the UK, and the US all slipped in the rankings from 2019 to 2020 - but they are still desirable, with access to over 180 countries. For comparison, passports from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria offer access to less than 30 countries.

Keep reading for a look at the countries with the most powerful passports, ranked by ascending number of visa-free travel options. We also included a comparative look at how each of these passports ranked in 2019.