Italy has once again secured its place among the world’s top passports. The Italian passport ranks joint third in the 2025 Henley Passport Index released this week.
Published by London-based Henley & Partners, the index measures the freedom of movement afforded to holders of 199 passports, based on access to 227 global destinations. The rankings are compiled using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Italian passport holders now enjoy visa-free access to 189 countries, sharing third place with Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Ireland and Spain.
Singapore remains at the top of the list, offering access to 193 destinations without a visa. Japan and South Korea follow in joint second place, with visa-free entry to 190 countries.
The UK passport has dropped one position to sixth place, offering access to 186 countries. The US passport has also slipped in the rankings, now in tenth place with 182 destinations, down from ninth last year. Both countries previously held top positions, with the UK leading from 2013 to 2015 and the US topping the index in 2014.
At the bottom of the 2025 index is Afghanistan, whose citizens can enter only 25 countries without a visa. Syria follows with 27, while Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia each offer access to 29 countries.
Italy Tightens Citizenship Rules
Italy’s strong passport ranking comes amid recent changes to the country’s citizenship laws. In early 2025, the government introduced tighter requirements for applicants seeking Italian nationality by descent.
Under the updated law, individuals must now prove that at least one parent or grandparent exclusively held Italian citizenship at the time of their death or at the time of application. The change marks a shift from the previous ius sanguinis approach, which allowed claims based on more distant ancestors, provided they were alive after 17 March 1861—the date of Italian unification.
The new rule aims to limit perceived misuse of Italy’s passport system, particularly among those seeking nationality through extended family links.
Despite the changes, Italy’s passport remains one of the most desirable in the world, offering wide-reaching travel freedom and access to the European Union.
