THE BRITISH passport is the weakest it has ever been due to the pandemic – offering travel access to just 60 countries in the world.
The study, which determines passport strength by how many countries the holder can visit, usually outs the UK high up on the list.
The latest ranking places the UK in seventh place, along with the US, with travel access to 187 destinations.
However, due to Covid and a number of travel bans, UK passport holders can now just visit 60 destinations – putting it in the same place as Uzbekistan.
The annual study is conducted by Henley & Partners, with Japan and Singapore often taking the top spots.
This year, Germany was ranked the highest European destination in third place, although Covid restrictions has made it drop from 191 countries to just 81.
Henley & Partners chairman Christian Kaelin said that global travel will remain "seriously hampered" for the rest of the year at least.
He said: "In many countries, serious doubts have arisen as to the ability to handle a global crisis, with the subsequent embrace of more inward-looking priorities.
"It is clear that more than ever, people need to expand their residence and passport options.”
The weakest EU countries include Croatia and Bulgaria with 171 countries and Cyprus with 174.
At the very bottom of the list is an Afghanistan passport with just 26 visa-free countries open to holders.
Pre-pandemic, the British passport was found to be stronger, having gone up from eight place last year.
However, it has been slowly slipping since 2014, where it took the number one spot.
Strongest passports 2021
1. Japan (191 destinations)
2. Singapore (190)
3. South Korea, Germany (189)
4. Italy, Finland, Spain, Luxembourg (188)
5. Denmark, Austria (187)
6. Sweden, France, Portugal, Netherlands, Ireland (186)
7. Switzerland, United States, United Kingdom, Norway, Belgium, New Zealand (185)
8. Greece, Malta, Czech Republic, Australia (184)
9. Canada (183)
10. Hungary (181)
Brits who get a new passport this year will be given a blue passport instead of the burgundy version.
The dark navy cover was ditched back in 1988 in favour of an EU-approved burgundy passport, and has now changed back.
There are in fact only four available passport colours in the world and they all have different meanings – we've explained each one.
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