Croatian passport breaks into world top 10, stronger than UK and US

Croatian passport

ZAGREB, 13 April 2026 – Croatia’s passport has reached a historic milestone, ranking among the ten most powerful passports in the world for the first time.

According to the latest 2026 Henley Passport Index, Croatia now sits in 8th place globally, marking its strongest performance to date.

Croatian citizens can currently travel to 181 destinations without a visa, placing the country ahead of both the United Kingdom and the United States in terms of global mobility.

Analysts attribute Croatia’s rise to several key factors, including stable diplomatic relations, full integration into the Schengen Area, and membership in the eurozone. Together, these developments have significantly strengthened the global mobility of Croatian citizens.

The latest ranking underlines Croatia’s growing presence on the international stage, particularly in terms of freedom of movement.

Within Europe, Croatia performs strongly but still trails some European Union peers. Countries such as Italy rank higher, sitting in 4th place with access to 185 destinations. Hungary is placed 6th, while Slovenia shares 7th position.

However, the gap between Croatia and its non-EU neighbours remains considerable. Serbia ranks around 30th, while Montenegro and North Macedonia are positioned at 37th, and Bosnia and Herzegovina at 40th globally.

At the top of the 2026 index is Singapore, offering visa-free access to 192 destinations. Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates share second place, followed by several European countries dominating the upper ranks.

At the other end of the scale, Afghanistan remains the lowest-ranked passport, with access to just 24 destinations.

The popularity of the Croatian passport among the diaspora has grown as it climbs up the world rankings.

For detailed eligibility guidance, you can visit CroatianByDescent.com, a company dedicated to helping Americans and other diaspora descendants secure their Croatian citizenship by descent efficiently and correctly.

2026 Henley Passport Index – Top Rankings

• 1st place: Singapore (192 destinations)

• 2nd place: Japan, South Korea, United Arab Emirates (187 destinations)

• 3rd place: Sweden (186 destinations)

• 4th place: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland (185 destinations)

• 5th place: Austria, Greece, Malta, Portugal (184 destinations)

• 6th place: Hungary, Malaysia, Poland, United Kingdom (183 destinations)

• 7th place: Australia, Canada, Czechia, Latvia, New Zealand, Slovakia, Slovenia (182 destinations)

• 8th place: Croatia, Estonia (181 destinations)

• 9th place: Liechtenstein, Lithuania (180 destinations)

• 10th place: Iceland, United States (179 destinations)

The index, compiled by global consultancy Henley & Partners, measures passports solely by the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. It does not take into account economic strength or quality of life.