Passports of both SARs see higher rankings in global index

The passports of both of China’s Special Administrative Regions (SARs) have made progress in the past year on a global ranking.

International consultancy of residence and citizenship Henley & Partners issued their annual Henley Passport Index ranking yesterday.

The consultancy ranks passports of all jurisdictions according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. It is based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade association for airlines in the world.

With no change in the number of visa-free destinations – 144 – the Macau passport is ranked 31, four places up from last year, on the table. The Hong Kong passport, meanwhile, is a place up to 17 this year, with 170 visa-free destinations, dropping a destination.

The Portuguese passport is a place up from last year – with unchanged visa-free destinations at 187, it is ranked 5 on the table. The Chinese passport jumps six places up to 63 with 80 visa-free destinations. The Philippine passport jumped from 80th to 74th place even with a visa-free destination short from last year’s 67 locations.

Singapore made it to the top of the table with the same number of visa-free destinations as in last year. Its ranking also rose up a place.

In addition, last year’s top place – Japan – slid two places in the past year, with a loss of four visa-free destinations, from 193 to 189.