The Australian passport just became even more powerful
The Australian passport is now even more powerful than it was last year.
According to the Henley Passport Index, which compares each nation for its ease of travelling around the world, Australia ranked sixth alongside Greece.
One spot higher than last year, Aussies now have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 183 destinations around the world.
The index, which has been running annually since 2013, places us one position above neighbouring New Zealand.
However, there were 20 countries with stronger passports than Australia.
Topping the list was Japan and Singapore whose residents have access to 189 countries without needing a visa, followed by former number one Germany in second position with 188.
Sweden, Finland, Italy, Spain, Denmark, France and South Korea were all ranked joint third with 187.
Dr Christian H. Kalin, group chairman of Henley & Partners, said a passport is much more than a simple travel document.
“It is a gateway to international opportunities or a barrier to those same opportunities,” Mr Kalin said.
“The Henley Passport Index enables individuals to assess where they lie on the spectrum of global mobility and helps governments understand the relative value and power of the passports they provide.”
The results are based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association.