Maldives passport has been ranked as the most powerful passport in South Asia.
The list of most powerful passports was compiled by the Henley Passport Index, which analyses how many countries a passport holder can enter visa-free or on a visa-on-arrival basis. The ranking is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information. Maldives ranked number 62 in 2019.
This year, Maldives moved up the list to number 61 with 85 points. Points were awarded based on the number of countries a person possessing the passport can enter without the need for a visa.
While Japan and Singapore have held onto their joint top spot, the Maldives passport maintained its position as the most powerful passport of South Asia.
During the past year, visa waiver arrangements were made such that Maldivians traveling to UAE, Russia, Morocco and Thailand did not require visas. Last week, Saudi Arabia was added to the list.
