Canada Climbs to 7th in Henley Passport Rankings, Extends Lead Over the US

Key Takeaways

• As of July 21, 2026, Canada holds 7th place in the Henley Passport Index with visa-free access to 183 destinations, while the United States sits in 10th place with 180 destinations.
• Since January 2026, Canada has risen one spot, from 8th to 7th, while the U.S. has held steady at 10th after a historic slide to 12th place in October 2025 — its first time outside the index's top 10 since the ranking began in 2006.
• Henley & Partners points to visa-free access to China, available to Canadians since February 2026 for stays of up to 30 days, as one factor separating the two North American passports, since U.S. citizens still require a visa to enter China.

Canada Extends Its Edge Over the U.S. in Global Passport Rankings

The Canadian passport has widened its lead over its American counterpart, according to the latest edition of the Henley Passport Index. As of July 21, Canada ranks seventh among the world's passports, while the United States sits three spots lower, in tenth place.

How the Two Countries Got Here

Canada's position has been trending upward this year, climbing from eighth to seventh place since January 2026. The U.S., meanwhile, has remained at tenth place over the same period — but only after a sharp fall from grace.

The Canadian passport has held a spot in the index's top 10 in every edition since the ranking launched in 2006, reaching its highest point, second place, in 2014, before gradually settling into a range between sixth and ninth place as competition from other countries intensified.

The U.S. passport has followed a steeper downward trajectory over the same period, falling all the way from first place in 2006 to twelfth in October 2025 — the first time in the index's 20-year history that the U.S. passport fell outside the top 10. It has since recovered somewhat, climbing back to tenth place by January 2026.

What the Ranking Measures

The Henley Passport Index ranks passports according to the number of destinations their holders can enter without first obtaining a visa. Under the current index, the Canadian passport provides visa-free access to 183 destinations, compared with 180 for the U.S. passport.

Visa-Free Access to China Sets the Two Countries Apart

In a July 21 press release accompanying the new rankings, Henley & Partners singled out the United States as "one of the few top-ranked passports whose citizens still require a visa to visit China." Canadians, by contrast, have been able to enter China visa-free since February 2026, for stays of up to 30 days.

Which Passports Made the Top 10 for July 2026

Because of extensive ties across nearly every rank except first and third place, a total of 38 countries appear within the top 10 of Henley & Partners' July 2026 ranking. Of these, 29 — or 76.3% — are European countries, while the remainder are spread across Asia (5 countries), North America (2), and Oceania (2).

Most passports within the top 10 either held steady or gained access to a single additional destination between January and July 2026, keeping the upper end of the rankings tightly clustered. The main exceptions were the United Arab Emirates, which jumped from fifth to second place, and a cluster of countries — Switzerland, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Liechtenstein, and Iceland — that each lost exactly one visa-free destination and slipped down a tier.

How the Rankings Are Calculated

The Henley Passport Index draws on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), enhanced by Henley & Partners, to rank 199 passports based on access to 227 travel destinations worldwide. Each passport receives a "visa score" reflecting the number of destinations its holders can enter without first securing a visa, and that score determines its position relative to every other passport in the index.

A destination counts toward a passport's score when entry is possible without a visa, through a visa on arrival or visitor permit, or via an electronic travel authorization (eTA). A destination does not count if travellers must obtain a visa or e-visa before departure. The rankings are updated and republished monthly.

How to Obtain a Canadian Passport

Only Canadian citizens are eligible to hold a Canadian passport. For most foreign nationals, the road to a Canadian passport begins with becoming a permanent resident.

Permanent residents must satisfy Canada's physical presence requirement — 1,095 days within the preceding five years — along with the other eligibility criteria, before they can apply for Canadian citizenship. After submitting a citizenship application, they must complete the Canadian citizenship test and attend a citizenship ceremony, where they take the oath of citizenship.

Following the ceremony, new citizens receive a citizenship certificate, which serves as their proof of citizenship when applying for a passport. Starting April 1, 2026, Canadian passport applicants are entitled to receive their passport within 30 business days or have their application fee waived. Applications can be submitted online, by mail, or in person at a passport office or Service Canada Centre.

Individuals who can demonstrate an unbroken line of descent from a Canadian citizen may also become eligible for a Canadian passport, after first securing a proof of citizenship certificate from the federal government.

What This Means for Applicants

For prospective and current Canadian citizens alike, the latest Henley Passport Index results reinforce the practical value of Canadian citizenship as a travel document, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 183 destinations worldwide — including, since earlier this year, China. As competition among the world's strongest passports remains tight, Canada's exact position could continue to shift in future editions, but its long-standing top-10 status, unbroken since the index began in 2006, remains intact.