Who is the most powerful of all?

You think a USA passport is the most important document to hold? The latest findings by Passport Index, developed by Canada based global consultancy firm, Arton Capital is an eye-opener. The indexing is made on the basis of cross-border access which a passport holds; in easy parlance, the number of countries where the passport holder does not need a visa.

Singapore ranked number one – it has visa free access or visa-on-arrival from 159 countries. Germany comes in at second spot with citizens able to visit 158 countries without obtaining a visa first, while Sweden and South Korea are tied in third place at 157.

The UK is tied in fourth place along with Denmark, Finland, Italy, France, Spain, Norway, and Japan at 156. In fifth place are Luxembourg, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Portugal at 155.

The US is in 6th position along with Canada, Ireland and Malaysia at access to 154 countries.

The least powerful passport continues to be Afghanistan, with just 22 countries allowing visa-free access to its residents, followed by Iraq and Pakistan with 26, and Syria with 29.

Indian passport stands at 74, up one notch this year from 75 – we have visa-free access to 51 countries.