The Canadian passport ranks sixth in a 2025 global ranking of the strongest passports. Henley & Partners, a global consultancy, ranked destinations that Canadian passport holders can visit without a visa. Canadian passport holders can visit 188 countries visa-free in 2025. Canada joins Malta and Poland in eighth place. The Henley Passport Index was created in 2006, and this is the first time Canada has topped the US. Canada is ranked seventh for two years, up from eighth in 2023, while the US has slipped to ninth from seventh in 2024. Egypt and Brazil have recently relaxed visa requirements for Canadians, making these countries more accessible. Gabon and Togo now require Canadian visas. Canada fell from fourth in 2015 to seventh but remains in the world rankings for passports and international mobility changes.
Understanding Visa-Free Classification
According to the Henley Passport Index, visa-free destinations either require an eTA, allow entry without a visa, or require a visitor’s pass. It excludes destinations that require government-approved visas or e-visas, making travel easier for passport holders. Henley & Partners researchers enhance International Air Transport Association data, which underpins the index.
Global Highlights from the Henley Passport Index
Singapore returned to the top of the list by offering visa-free entry to 195 destinations this year. Japan was close behind with 193 destinations. Afghanistan is still the lowest-ranked destination, with only 26 visa-free or visa-on-arrival entries. The UAE has gained 72 new destinations in the past decade. By 2025, it ranks tenth.
How to Obtain a Canadian Passport
Canadian citizenship is required for a passport. Canadian-born people are eligible instantly, but others must become citizens. Due to interim regulations, some children can inherit Canadian citizenship from their parents. Non-Canadians often become permanent residents before becoming citizens. The PR criterion is met by being in Canada for at least three of the past five years, filing and paying taxes, passing a citizenship exam, and swearing the oath. Getting Canadian citizenship takes years, but the rewards, like having one of the world’s most famous passports, are worth it.