The Philippine passport has climbed six places in the latest global ranking but continues to lag far behind the Nordic countries in terms of travel freedom.
According to the Henley Passport Index, the Philippine passport now ranks 73rd worldwide in January 2026, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 64 destinations. This marks an improvement from October 2025, when the Philippines was ranked 79th.
The index ranks passports from 199 countries based on how many destinations their holders can access without obtaining a visa in advance, using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Despite the improvement, a wide gap remains between the Philippines and the Nordic countries. Denmark ranks third globally with access to 186 destinations, a position it shares with Sweden as well as Luxembourg and Spain. Finland and Norway also remain among the world’s strongest passports, with similarly high levels of visa-free access.
For Philippine passport holders, visa-free or simplified entry is currently available to several destinations in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
While the latest ranking reflects gradual progress for the Philippines, it also highlights the continued disparity in global mobility between Southeast Asian passports and those of the Nordic region.
Source: CDN
