Pakistan passport ranking May 2026 update: Full visa-free list revealed as travel map shifts

Pakistan’s passport ranking has fallen to 100th place in the latest Henley Passport Index May 2026 update, after improving earlier this year to 97th in February from 98th in January and 103rd in 2025, reflecting a year marked by fluctuating mobility performance.

Despite the latest decline, Pakistani passport holders continue to access 30 destinations through visa-free entry, visa-on-arrival (VOA), or electronic travel authorisation (ETA) systems.

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Access falls from February peak

In February 2026, Pakistani citizens had access to 32 destinations, up from 31 in January following the reinstatement of The Gambia.

However, the latest May update reduces the total to 30 destinations, highlighting ongoing adjustments in global visa policies and bilateral travel arrangements.

Year-on-year changes: 2025 vs 2026

Pakistan’s passport mobility has shown mixed movement over the past year, driven more by shifting global visa policies than a consistent upward or downward trend.

• 2025: Ranked 103rd globally, with access to around 31 destinations

• January 2026: Improved to 98th, with 31 destinations

• February 2026: Further rose to 97th, with 32 destinations

• May 2026: Slipped to 100th, with 30 destinations

The trend underscores that Pakistan’s passport ranking remains highly sensitive to international visa policy changes, resulting in short-term fluctuations rather than sustained stability.

Visa-free destinations

Pakistani passport holders can travel visa-free to:
Barbados, Cook Islands, Dominica, Haiti, Micronesia, Montserrat, Rwanda, St Vincent and the Grenadines, The Gambia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vanuatu.

Visa on arrival (VOA) destinations

VOA access is available in:
Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde Islands, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Maldives, Nepal, Niue, Palau Islands, Samoa, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Timor-Leste and Tuvalu.

ETA destinations

Kenya, Seychelles and Sri Lanka require an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) prior to departure.

Full list of visa-friendly destinations

1. Barbados – Visa-Free

2. Burundi – VOA

3. Cambodia – VOA

4. Cape Verde Islands – VOA

5. Comoro Islands – VOA

6. Cook Islands – Visa-Free

7. Djibouti – VOA

8. Dominica – Visa-Free

9. Guinea-Bissau – VOA

10. Haiti – Visa-Free

11. Kenya – ETA

12. Madagascar – VOA

13. Maldives – VOA

14. Micronesia – Visa-Free

15. Montserrat – Visa-Free

16. Nepal – VOA

17. Niue – VOA

18. Palau Islands – VOA

19. Rwanda – Visa-Free

20. Samoa – VOA

21. Senegal – VOA

22. Seychelles – ETA

23. Sierra Leone – VOA

24. Sri Lanka – ETA

25. St Vincent and the Grenadines – Visa-Free

26. The Gambia – Visa-Free

27. Timor-Leste – VOA

28. Trinidad and Tobago – Visa-Free

29. Tuvalu – VOA

30. Vanuatu – Visa-Free

E-visa destinations

Electronic visa systems are increasingly simplifying travel, allowing applicants to secure entry permissions online before departure. These systems are now widely used across multiple regions.

Africa: Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Asia: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bhutan, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Oman, Qatar, Singapore, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.

Europe: Albania, Moldova, Türkiye and the United Kingdom.

Americas & Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, St Kitts and Nevis, Suriname and The Bahamas.

Oceania / overseas territories: St Helena.

Why passport rankings change

The Henley Passport Index ranks 199 passports across 227 destinations, based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Rankings shift when countries revise visa policies, making global mobility a constantly evolving metric.

Global mobility gap remains wide

Singapore, Japan, South Korea and several European countries continue to lead the index, offering access to more than 180 destinations worldwide, highlighting the gap between top and lower-ranked passports.

What the ranking means for travellers

Experts note that changes in rankings often reflect global policy adjustments rather than sharp declines in travel freedom. Despite fluctuations, Pakistani travellers continue to benefit from access to dozens of destinations through simplified entry systems, keeping short-term travel options broadly stable.