Australian Passport Ranked #9 by Henley Passport Index based on IATA data

[V Singh]

Henley Passport Index Ranking using IATA data in January 2020 has
Australia Ranked @ #9 with access to 183 countries without prior visa.
Japan is ranked #1 with access to 191 countries without prior visa

The Original Passport Index 2026

The Henley Passport Index is the original authority ranking passports by how many destinations holders can visit visa-free.

www.henleypassportindex.com

What are your thoughts on this matter? Do you think there are possibilities to improve on this ranking for the benefit of our travelling public?

 

[OZDUCK]

I doubt that it will change much. Other countries would probably want visa free travel to Australia as a quid pro quo and that is very unlikely to happen. Even the UK has recently been knocked back when making such a suggestion. Morrison government rules out visa-free travel between Australia, UK

 

[RooFlyer]

I think there might be some more visa-free countries for Australians, but most likely because the countries are abolishing Visas for groups of countries (like 2 of the 5 Stans did in the past year or so), so our 'ranking' won't change much.

 

[Lynda2475]

@OZDUCK That article is about work visas (aka like the arragement Aussues have with NZ), as a tourist Aussies do not need a visa to vist the UK.

 

[V Singh]

Prior Visa = Visa on arrival/Visa free. Yes I understand UK has visa on arrival for Aus tourists

 

[Lynda2475]

Prior Visa = Visa on arrival/Visa free. Yes I understand UK has visa on arrival for Aus tourists

No the UK does not issue a visa on arrival for Aussie passport holders, we can stay 6 months without a visa, you use the egates and dont even fill in an arrival card.

Visa waiver schemes like they have in USA and Canada require pre-registration and a small fee. Dubia issues tourist visas on arrival for free as does Hong Kong (little pieces of paper in your passport), and in Argentina you have to pay a fee on arrival, none of these processes apply for the UK though. Visa only rrequired if you want to work or stay longer than 6 momths.

 

[V Singh]

@Lynda2475 Thank you for your input. Was in Iguazu Falls recently. Visited both Brazil & Argentina side of the Falls. Both sides it was Zero Fee entry/border crossing. Perhaps this a recent change. Paraguay required visa prior to border crossing

 

[Lynda2475]

Perhaps this a recent change.

Possibly its been a while since I was there but it may also be a case of only applying at certain points of entry i.e. airport in Buenos Aires. Uk i entered only a few months ago so I know no arrival card or visa for sure.

 

[OZDUCK]

@OZDUCK That article is about work visas (aka like the arragement Aussues have with NZ), as a tourist Aussies do not need a visa to vist the UK.

But UK citizens still require a visa to visit here for any reason and that is not likely to change for them or any other country. I still believe that this will be an impediment to many other countries opening up visa free entry to Australian PP holders.

 

[Long_20]

The #9 ranking is a bit misleading. There are 21 countries with better passports. So we're tied #22, which is a lot less impressive..

 

[V Singh]

@Long_20..That's an alternative way to interpret the ranking. Factually, Henley Passport Ranking reflects a country's Visa on Arrival/Visa Free access data with numerical ranking listed in alphabetic order . If multiple countries have same number of accesses than they have equal ranking eg Australia & New Zealand both have Ranking #9 as visa on arrival/visa free access = 183 countries

 

[odysseus]

@Long_20..That's an alternative way to interpret the ranking. Factually, Henley Passport Ranking reflects a country's Visa on Arrival/Visa Free access data with numerical ranking listed in alphabetic order . If multiple countries have same number of accesses than they have equal ranking eg Australia & New Zealand both have Ranking #9 as visa on arrival/visa free access = 183 countries

Though it's actually the correct way to rate it. As it is referring to countries, there are 21 countries with greater access. It's the same as in other fields e.g. if you have a sports competition or race and first and second have the same time/score, the next entry will be given third place, not second.

Or if you prefer economic/business ratings like this, see below as one example of safe city ratings, from the Economist. Melbourne was rated 10th, not 9th, when the two cities above it tied.



Source:

https://safecities.economist.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Aug-5-ENG-NEC-Safe-Cities-2019-270x210-19-screen.pdf

The only way the above is correct is if you're just talking about the ratings themselves, in which case it is the 9th highest rating. As you're explicitly talking about countries then Australia is 22nd.

 

[V Singh]

"Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are pliable" Mark Twain

 

[ethernet]

I prefer the Thailand model. Easy entry, and punitive fines for over stayers. OTOH foreign 'partners' in for more than 1/2 year are up to Australian Taxation is rarely enforced.

 

[Noah Count]

I will be the grinch, who cares which countries accepts the AU passport, the AU government will not let us leave and those stranded back in. Sure I am oversimplifying.

 

[Seat0B]

Interestingly, my son who is a dual Australian/US citizen is at this very minute on holiday in Uzbekistan using his Australian passport because the travel was visa free, compared with a quite complex process for US citizens. I was astounded as I had no idea. Not to mention equally astounded the concept of travelling for fun and enjoyment. He is a resident of Dubai, and already has his first AZ shot, and does not need an exit permit like we do here.