Vietnam moves six notches in world's powerful passport rankings

Anh Kiet

Jul 21, 2023 / 04:08 PM

Vietnam has now granted visa waivers to the citizens of 25 countries and is issuing e-visas to 80 countries and territories.

Vietnam has jumped six places to 82nd in the world's most powerful passport ranking for 2023, according to the latest Henley Passport Index report.

A Vietnamese passport holder can visit 55 countries without applying for a visa, or only with an e-visa or visa-on-arrival, according to the report, which ranks passports issued by 227 territories and countries worldwide.

A Vietnamese passport. Photo: The Immigration Department of Vietnam

This is an improvement from the last ranking released in early 2023, when Vietnam's passport ranked 88th in the world. Vietnam now grants visa waivers to citizens of 25 countries and issues e-visas to 80 countries and territories.

The Henley Passport Index ranking is based on exclusive data compiled by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which has the world's largest and most accurate database of travel information.

Statistics are compiled from passports of 199 countries and territories and 227 global destinations, and the assessment is based on proprietary data provided by IATA since 2006. According to the Henley Passport Index, global travel has reached 75% of pre-pandemic levels, based on exclusive data from IATA.

With 18 years of historical data, the Index is updated quarterly and in real-time throughout the year as visa policy changes take effect in any country.

Vietnam rolled out e-passports or chip-embedded ordinary passports from March 1. The move aims to facilitate international travel for Vietnamese holders, secure their data, and improve immigration control.

According to the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), an electronic passport contains not only basic personal information such as full name, date of birth, and nationality but also biometric features such as fingerprint, face, and blood type. All data is stored inside the chip, making it difficult to copy and falsify, ensuring the security of the information for the owner.

The biometric passport will meet international standards on migration. The e-passport holder may be given priority to complete all entry requirements and pass through immigration control, the MPS stressed.

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