Costa Rica has the most powerful passport in Central America, granting access to 150 countries, according to the latest version of the Henley Passport Index.
Japan ranks first overall (193 countries), while a United States passport provides access to 187 countries without a prior visa.
Ranking the seven Central American nations by passport strength:
- Costa Rica: Visa-free access to 150 countries.
- Panama: 142 countries.
- El Salvador: 134 countries.
- Honduras: 133 countries.
- Guatemala: 133 countries.
- Nicaragua: 127 countries.
- Belize: 101 countries.
The bottom five countries in the 2021 ranking are Yemen, Pakistan, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Henley Passport Index was first launched in 2006.
“The Henley Passport Index is considered the standard reference tool for global citizens and sovereign states when assessing where a passport ranks on the global mobility spectrum,” reads the report, which is based on International Air Transport Association (IATA) data.
The Henley Passport Index rankings don’t take into account the varying Covid-19 restrictions and border closures that continue to be enforced by many countries, per USA Today.
