Pakistan passport ranking slips in May 2026
Electronic visa systems expand travel opportunities across multiple continents
DUBAI – Pakistan’s passport has slipped to 100th position in the latest May 2026 Henley Passport Index, following a brief improvement earlier this year that had raised hopes of stronger global mobility for Pakistani travellers.
Despite the latest decline, Pakistani citizens still retain access to 30 destinations through visa-free, visa-on-arrival and electronic travel authorisation systems.
The latest update marks another shift in a year defined by fluctuating passport performance. Pakistan had improved from 103rd place in 2025 to 98th in January 2026, before climbing further to 97th in February. The May revision, however, pushed the country back to 100th place as several global visa arrangements changed.
The Henley Passport Index, which uses International Air Transport Association data to rank passports across 227 destinations, remains one of the most closely watched indicators of international mobility.
Pakistan passport
Pakistan’s visa-access profile has also shifted during the year. In January 2026, Pakistani passport holders had access to 31 destinations. That figure increased to 32 in February following the reinstatement of The Gambia among accessible countries.
The latest May update reduces the total number of accessible destinations to 30, reflecting continued adjustments in bilateral visa policies and global immigration frameworks.
Experts note that such changes do not necessarily indicate a long-term decline in mobility. Instead, rankings often move because of policy recalibrations by partner countries or broader international travel trends affecting multiple passports simultaneously.
The latest standings continue to place Pakistan among lower-ranked passports globally, though simplified entry systems still provide travellers with a range of short-haul and regional tourism opportunities.
Visa access
Pakistani passport holders currently enjoy visa-free access to destinations including Barbados, Cook Islands, Dominica, Haiti, Micronesia, Montserrat, Rwanda, St Vincent and the Grenadines, The Gambia, Trinidad and Tobago and Vanuatu.
Visa-on-arrival access remains 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.
Electronic travel authorisation systems are also available for Kenya, Seychelles and Sri Lanka. These systems require travellers to obtain online approval before departure instead of securing a traditional embassy visa.
Travel demand for visa-friendly destinations continues to remain stable among Pakistani tourists, especially for nearby leisure destinations offering simpler immigration procedures and lower documentation requirements.
E-visas expand
Alongside visa-free and VOA destinations, electronic visa systems are increasingly expanding travel possibilities for Pakistani citizens across several regions.
In Africa, countries including Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gabon, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe now offer e-visa systems for Pakistani travellers.
Across Asia, electronic visas are available for destinations such as Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bhutan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Oman, Qatar, Singapore, Thailand, the UAE and Vietnam.
Several European destinations including Albania, Moldova, Türkiye and the United Kingdom also provide online visa systems, while countries across the Caribbean and Latin America continue expanding digital entry services.
The Henley Passport Index continues to underline the sharp gap between the world’s highest and lowest-ranked passports. Singapore currently holds the top position globally with access to 192 destinations, while Japan, South Korea and several European countries continue offering visa-free access to more than 180 locations worldwide.