Kiwis continue to enjoy one of the highest levels of travel freedom globally, but a former champion has been dethroned, according to new passport power rankings.
The Henley Passport Index, which ranks passports based on their access to visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations, placed Aotearoa in the fifth spot, tied with six other nations and up from seventh place earlier this year.
Kiwis can have access to 187 countries visa-free. Meanwhile, those across the ditch are one behind — on 186 nations with visa-free travel access.
Australia is in sixth place, tied with two other countries.
January's rankings had the country in eighth place.
Meanwhile, the new global champion, Singapore, has visa-free access to 192 countries, followed in second place by Germany, Italy and Spain, with 190 countries each.
Long-time top spot-holder Japan has been knocked down to third place.
Henley and Partners chairperson Christian Kaelin said only eight countries worldwide have less visa-free access today than they did a decade ago, while others have been more successful in securing greater travel freedom for their citizens.
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"Far more than just a travel document that defines our freedom of movement, a strong passport also provides significant financial freedoms in terms of international investment and business opportunities," he said in a press release.
"Global connectivity and access have become indispensable features of wealth creation and preservation, and its value will only grow as geopolitical volatility and regional instability increase."
He said the United Arab Emirates had "added an impressive 107 destinations to its visa-free score since 2013, resulting in a massive leap of 44 places in the ranking over the past 10 years from 56th to 12th position".
"This is almost double the next biggest climber, Colombia, which has enjoyed a jump of 28 places in the ranking to sit in 37th spot. Ukraine and China are also among the Top 10 countries with the most improved rankings over the past decade."
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