Country with World’s Weakest Int'l Passport Most Nations Restrict
- Afghanistan ranked last on the February 2026 Henley Passport Index, with access to only 24 destinations without prior visa approval
- Afghan passport holders retained limited travel options through visa-free entry, visa on arrival, and electronic travel authorisation routes
- Analysts linked Afghanistan’s ranking to diplomatic isolation, sanctions, and ongoing security and governance challenges affecting international mobility
Afghanistan has retained its position as the country with the world’s weakest passport, a status that continues to sharply limit the movement of its citizens across borders.
The February 2026 Henley Passport Index ranked the Afghan passport 101st, with holders able to access only 24 destinations without securing a visa in advance, Gulf News reported.
Source: Getty Images
This ranking places Afghanistan as the only nation whose passport grants entry to fewer than 25 destinations worldwide. The position reflects years of diplomatic isolation, unresolved governance issues, sanctions, and persistent security and economic pressures that have weakened the country’s international standing.
Limited destinations still accessible
Despite its low ranking, Afghan passport holders can still travel to a small number of countries through visa-free entry, visa on arrival, or electronic travel authorisation systems. Under the Henley Index methodology, these options are counted as destinations that do not require prior visa approval.
Visa-free access is available to a handful of countries, including the Cook Islands, Dominica, Haiti, and Micronesia.
These destinations remain rare options for Afghans seeking direct entry without additional documentation.
Source: Getty Images
Visa on arrival and ETA routes
A larger group of countries allows Afghan nationals to obtain visas on arrival. These include Bangladesh, Cambodia, Madagascar, Rwanda, Maldives, Mozambique, Cape Verde Islands, Comoros, Guinea Bissau, Samoa, Timor Leste, Tuvalu, Djibouti, Palau Islands, Burundi, Niue, and Macao.
In addition, a few destinations operate electronic travel authorisation systems. Afghan passport holders can apply online for entry into Sri Lanka, Kenya, and Seychelles under simplified approval processes.
Mobility limits shape daily life
The International Air Transport Association data used in compiling the index shows how sharply Afghan mobility contrasts with that of top ranked countries such as Singapore and Japan, whose passports allow access to more than 190 destinations.
For Afghan citizens, the impact of restricted travel goes far beyond tourism. Access to education, medical treatment, family reunification, trade, and humanitarian movement remains constrained.
US introduces tough visa rules
Legit.ng earlier reported that tourists from dozens of countries, including the UK, could be asked to provide a five-year social media history as a condition of entry to the US, under a new proposal unveiled by American officials.
The new condition would affect people from dozens of countries who are eligible to visit the US for 90 days without a visa, as long as they have filled out an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) form.
Trump: 2 reasons US suspended Nigerians
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Donald Trump disclosed two security and compliance reasons behind the decision to place Nigeria on a fresh list of countries facing new United States travel restrictions, following the signing of a proclamation that tightens entry rules for nationals of several nations deemed high risk.
The proclamation, signed on Tuesday, December 16, expanded existing US travel controls to cover 15 additional countries, with Nigeria among those subjected to partial restrictions.
Source: Legit.ng
