Visa-Free Travel: Which ASEAN Passports Open the Most Doors?

Southeast Asia’s passport strength has become a key indicator of global mobility and regional influence, with recent rankings underscoring the impressive travel freedoms enjoyed by citizens in the region. In early 2025, the Henley Global Mobility Report revealed that Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei possess the most powerful passports among Southeast Asian nations. According to the report, holders of a Singaporean passport can travel visa‐free to 195 countries and territories, cementing its position not only as the strongest in Southeast Asia but also as one of the world’s most coveted travel documents.

Malaysia follows closely behind, with its passport offering visa-free entry to 183 destinations. Brunei’s passport, while slightly less powerful with access to 166 territories, still stands as one of the region’s leading documents in terms of travel freedom. The report goes on to rank Timor‑Leste in fourth place, while Thailand—whose economy greatly depends on tourism—secures the fifth spot, granting its citizens visa-free entry to 82 countries. Indonesia, the region’s largest economy, comes in sixth with access to 76 destinations, and the Philippines is ranked seventh, allowing visa-free entry to 67 countries.

Further down the ranking, Cambodia and Vietnam continue to reflect the diverse mobility landscape in Southeast Asia. Cambodian passport holders can visit 53 nations without a visa, whereas Vietnamese citizens enjoy access to 51 countries. Notably, within the region the Vietnamese passport still fares better than those of Laos and Myanmar, which offer access to 49 and 46 destinations respectively.

Complementing the Henley report, the interactive rankings on the Passport Index website provide real-time data on the mobility scores of ASEAN passports. This tool, which allows users to compare passports side-by-side, confirms the strong regional performance of Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. By ranking passports according to the total number of visa-free destinations out of 227 countries, the index reflects continuous updates in visa policies and diplomatic relations that impact travel freedom.

Both the Henley Global Mobility Report and the Passport Index underscore the importance of diplomatic engagement and economic strength in enhancing travel mobility. For governments and travellers alike, these rankings offer valuable insights into how national policies, international agreements and regional integration shape global connectivity. As Southeast Asian nations continue to bolster their diplomatic ties and update visa agreements, the evolution of passport power in the region remains a dynamic measure of both economic progress and global influence.