French passport beats US and UK for global access

The French passport offers broader visa-free access than its UK equivalent in the latest rankings of passports, published by Henley Passport Index.

The index, which is published annually by Henley & Partners and based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), ranks 199 passports by the number of destinations their holders can enter without a prior visa or with a visa on arrival. The 2026 edition was released in January.

France is ranked joint fourth worldwide, with holders able to visit 185 destinations without visas, sharing that position with Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands and Italy. 

The United Kingdom is placed joint seventh, level with Australia, offering access to 182 destinations. This represents a further fall in the UK’s position: it was ranked fourth as recently as 2024, before slipping down the table in subsequent editions.