Kenya retains global passport ranking at 67

The global passport mobility ranking shows the number of countries that Kenyans can visit without a visa, or obtain one on arrival, which remained stable at 76 in January. PHOTO | POOL

The Kenyan passport has retained its position as the 67th most powerful travel document globally, according to a new report.

The Henley Passport Index Report released on Wednesday shows the Kenyan passport did not move places as other African passports fell one or three places.

The global passport mobility ranking also shows the number of countries that Kenyans can visit without a visa, or obtain one on arrival, which remained stable at 76 in January.

Mauritius, which has maintained its top position on the continent, fell one rank down from 30th to 29th passport, showing that holders can visit 148 countries visa-free.

Read: Kenya’s passport rises six places in ranking

South Africa’s passport also fell two pegs from 51st place globally in July to 53rd.

Lesotho dropped from 64th to 65th, Namibia from 62nd to 65th place and Malawi from 68th to 67th place.

The mobility score measures the number of countries that a person holding a given country’s passport can visit without possessing a visa or the nations where they can get a visa on arrival.

Kenya was also ranked the most open country globally together with Burundi, Cape Verde Islands, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Maldives, Mozambique and Rwanda among others who scored 198 out of a total openness score of 198.

The Henley Openness Index ranks all 199 countries and territories worldwide according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore and Spain were ranked the World’s most powerful passports.

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