Vietnamese citizens can enter 55 countries and territories worldwide without applying for a visa, or with simplified visa procedures like e-visas or visas on arrival, VNA cited spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said on July 20.

Hang made the affirmation at the ministry’s regular press conference in Hanoi, responding to a reporter's query on the Henley Passport Index released by London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners on July 19.

A Vietnamese passport. Photo: Vietnam Government Portal

According to the firm, the Vietnamese passport has moved up 10 places as compared with 2022 and six places from the first quarter of this year to rank 82nd on the list of the world’s most powerful passports.

However, the number of visa-exempt or visa-on-arrival destinations for Vietnamese passport holders remains unchanged from the beginning of the year, the spokeswoman noted.

At meetings with partners, Vietnam has proposed considering the simplification of visa procedures or visa exemptions for Vietnamese citizens and citizens of these partner countries, Hang said.

This move aims to facilitate trading and exchanges between citizens from Vietnam and foreign countries, thus contributing to promoting friendship, she added.

The report scores the passports on the total number of destinations that the holder can access visa-free, NDO reported.

In Southeast Asia, the Vietnamese passport is more powerful than Laos (87th) and Myanmar (89th).

Singapore has replaced Japan as the country with the most powerful passport, as the city-state's citizens enjoy visa-free entry to 192 global destinations.

The Malaysian passport was the 11th most powerful in the world, with visa-free access to 180 destinations, while the Thai passport ranked 64th, with its citizens allowed to visit 79 countries without applying for a visa.

The index ranks 199 global passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. The index is updated in real-time throughout the year, as and when visa policy changes take effect.

In the latest ranking, Japan dropped to third, with visa-free access to 189 destinations around the world. It shares its position with Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, the Republic of Korea, and Sweden.

Italy, Germany, and Spain are joint-second with visa-free access to 190 destinations.

At the bottom of the list is Afghanistan with easy access to 27 destinations. Yemen (99), Pakistan (100), Syria (101), and Iraq (102) round up the bottom five.

Vietnam now allows visa waivers for 25 countries and offers e-visas to citizens of 80 countries and territories.

Although the US passport is still in the top 10 most "powerful" passports in the world (8th place), this country has had the least increase in the passport index over the past 10 years.

The UK, after a decline due to leaving the European Union (EU), has returned to fourth place - the position it held in 2017.

The Henley Passport Index is the original, authoritative ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. With historical data spanning 18 years, the Henley Passport Index is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) – the largest, most accurate travel information database – and enhanced by Henley & Partners’ research team.

The Henley Passport Index is updated quarterly and is considered a standard reference tool when assessing where a passport ranks in terms of global mobility.

Three Vietnam's Most Ideal Places to Avoid Summer Heat in Asia Three Vietnam's destinations listed among 10 cooling getaways in Asia, listed by Channel NewsAsia International, an English-language Asia-Pacific news network, based in Singapore.

Experience A Summer Holiday In Hon Dua Island Hon Dua Island is a perfect summer destination for tourists to enjoy the natural scenery together.

The Beauty Of Quang Tri Through Vietnamese Travel Blogger’s Lenses The western region of Quang Tri has impressed many and impressive places with fresh air weather, and beautiful nature, through the camera lenses and interesting ...