Henley & Partners marked the 20th anniversary of its Passport Index with the release of the 2026 rankings, highlighting an expanding divide between the world’s most and least mobile nationalities. Singapore tops the table with visa-free access to 192 destinations, while Afghanistan sits last with just 24. (businesstimes.com.hk)
Hong Kong SAR passport holders can now travel visa-free or on arrival to 174 destinations—unchanged from 2025—retaining 18th place alongside Andorra, Brazil and San Marino. Although respectable, the city’s relative position has slipped six places since 2014, when Hong Kong ranked 12th. Analysts attribute the stagnation to slower progress on bilateral visa-waiver negotiations compared with Southeast-Asian peers such as Malaysia, now ranked 9th.
For corporates, passport power translates directly into travel-cost efficiency: every additional visa-free market removes the need for invitation letters, notarisations and courier fees that can add HK $1,000–2,000 per trip. Mobility teams should therefore track incremental improvements and encourage executives to use eligible visa-free channels such as APEC Business Travel Cards where available.
![2026 Henley Passport Index shows widening mobility gap; Hong Kong holds 18th place]()
For travelers who still face paperwork hurdles—or simply want peace of mind—VisaHQ’s Hong Kong platform (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) streamlines the entire application process with up-to-date visa requirements, digital document uploads and courier pick-up options. Corporate mobility managers can even run analytics to quantify savings when a destination shifts from “visa required” to “visa-free,” making it easier to demonstrate the bottom-line impact of improved passport power.
The report also underscores the rise of digital identity solutions. Henley chairman Christian Kaelin argues that technology can reconcile secure borders with frictionless travel—a viewpoint aligned with Hong Kong’s own rollout of contactless e-Channel QR-codes.
While the headline rankings grab attention, HR departments should dig into sub-rankings on quality-of-nationality and tax competitiveness, which influence expatriate assignment planning beyond mere travel freedom.
Hong Kong SAR passport holders can now travel visa-free or on arrival to 174 destinations—unchanged from 2025—retaining 18th place alongside Andorra, Brazil and San Marino. Although respectable, the city’s relative position has slipped six places since 2014, when Hong Kong ranked 12th. Analysts attribute the stagnation to slower progress on bilateral visa-waiver negotiations compared with Southeast-Asian peers such as Malaysia, now ranked 9th.
For corporates, passport power translates directly into travel-cost efficiency: every additional visa-free market removes the need for invitation letters, notarisations and courier fees that can add HK $1,000–2,000 per trip. Mobility teams should therefore track incremental improvements and encourage executives to use eligible visa-free channels such as APEC Business Travel Cards where available.
For travelers who still face paperwork hurdles—or simply want peace of mind—VisaHQ’s Hong Kong platform (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) streamlines the entire application process with up-to-date visa requirements, digital document uploads and courier pick-up options. Corporate mobility managers can even run analytics to quantify savings when a destination shifts from “visa required” to “visa-free,” making it easier to demonstrate the bottom-line impact of improved passport power.
The report also underscores the rise of digital identity solutions. Henley chairman Christian Kaelin argues that technology can reconcile secure borders with frictionless travel—a viewpoint aligned with Hong Kong’s own rollout of contactless e-Channel QR-codes.
While the headline rankings grab attention, HR departments should dig into sub-rankings on quality-of-nationality and tax competitiveness, which influence expatriate assignment planning beyond mere travel freedom.
