Australian Passport Ranking in the World, 2006 to 2026

Australian passport ranking on the Henley Passport Index was equal 7th in early 2026, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 182 destinations. Henley's live ranking in November 2026 still lists Australia 7th, now with 183 destinations. Since the index began in 2006, Australia has stayed inside the top 10, moving between 5th and 9th place. The rank moves because other countries gain or lose access too, not only because of changes for Australians.

This guide shows how the ranking has moved in the years we could check, what the index actually counts, how a second index scores the same passport, and what the ranking means when you plan a trip.

Sources for this section: Wikipedia, Henley Passport Index (rank tables); Wikipedia, Australian passport; This Is Australia, World Passport Rankings 2026.

Where Australia ranks in 2026

In the January 2026 Henley Passport Index, Australia was equal 7th. Australian passport holders could reach 182 destinations without a visa arranged beforehand. Wikipedia's Australian passport article gives the same rank and count as of February 2026. This Is Australia reported that Australia shared that place with the United Kingdom. When we checked Henley's own live ranking data in November 2026, Australia was still 7th, with 183 destinations.

The top of the January 2026 table looked like this:

Several countries can share one rank, so "7th" can mean that a dozen or more passports sit above Australia on the list. The Henley index checks 227 destinations in total.

Sources for this section: This Is Australia, World Passport Rankings 2026; Wikipedia, Australian passport; Wikipedia, Henley Passport Index (method); Henley & Partners, Global Passport Ranking (live data, checked November 2026).

How the ranking moved, 2006 to 2026

The table below lists the years where the rank could be checked against the Henley rank tables kept on Wikipedia, plus news reports for 2025 and 2026. Years without a checked figure are left out rather than guessed.

Two things stand out. Australia has never left the top 10 in these years. And its best checked year, 2024, was also the year many passports gained access, so the whole top of the table moved up together.

Sources for this section: Wikipedia, Henley Passport Index (older rankings, 2022, 2023 and 2024 tables); SBS News, "Australian passport power revealed"; This Is Australia, World Passport Rankings 2026.

What the Henley Passport Index measures

The Henley Passport Index is run by the British firm Henley & Partners. Henley says the index is updated monthly. It checks 199 ordinary passports against 227 destinations, using travel data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). For each destination, a passport scores 1 point if the holder can enter with:

• no visa at all
• a visa on arrival or a visitor's permit
• an electronic travel authority that is approved automatically

A destination scores 0 when you need a visa, or a manually approved e-Visa, before you leave. The points are added up to give the passport's total. A small island nation and a large country each count as one destination.

The index does not measure how long you can stay, what the entry costs, or how easy the border is. Bali is a good example: a visa on arrival counts for the index, but Australians still pay a separate provincial fee there, covered in our Bali tourist levy guide.

Sources for this section: Wikipedia, Henley Passport Index (definition); Henley & Partners, Henley Passport Index (update schedule); SBS News, "Australian passport power revealed"; Smartraveller, Indonesia travel advice.

Why the rank can fall while access stays strong

A rank is relative. Each passport's place depends on its score compared with every other passport's score. If other countries gain access faster than Australia does, Australia slips down the list even when nothing changes at the borders Australians use most. Between the 2024 table (5th, 190 destinations) and the January 2026 edition (7th, 182 destinations), both the count and the place moved.

SBS News also pointed to reciprocity. It reported that the United States lets only 46 other nationalities in without a visa, and described that as the widest gap in visa reciprocity after Australia's. Reciprocity is not part of the score, but it is often raised when commentators discuss passport power.

Sources for this section: Wikipedia, Henley Passport Index (2024 and 2026 tables); SBS News, "Australian passport power revealed".

A second index, a different score

Henley is not the only ranking. The Passport Index at passportindex.org uses its own method and scores the Australian passport differently. When we read its Australia page, it showed:

So "how strong is the Australian passport" depends on which list you read. Both put Australia near the top 10. When a news story quotes a rank, check which index it means and which edition, because both are updated through the year.

Sources for this section: Passport Index (passportindex.org), Australia passport dashboard.

Why our ranking feature is different

Most pages on this topic give one number for one month. Year by year, the more useful lesson for travellers is that the rank sits in a narrow band, 5th to 9th, and moves for reasons outside Australia. A one-place drop is not a sign that trips have become harder. Before you book, the rules for your own destination matter far more than the rank.

What to check for each trip:

• the entry rules on the Smartraveller page for that country
• whether a visa on arrival is paid in cash or online
• passport validity rules, often 6 months from the dates you enter and leave
• any separate local fees, like the Bali levy

Sources for this section: Smartraveller, Indonesia travel advice (entry and passport validity); Wikipedia, Henley Passport Index.

Facts about the Australian passport itself

• Australia has issued only biometric ePassports since 24 October 2005. The chip holds the same details as the photo page.
• A 10-year adult passport cost A$422 from 1 January 2026, up from A$412 in 2025. This Is Australia reported an extra A$189 for applying from overseas.
• Wikipedia notes that at A$422 the 10-year Australian passport is described as the most expensive passport in the world.

Planning the money side of a trip? Read our Tourist Refund Scheme guide for claiming GST on the way out, and our duty free allowance guide for the limits on the way back in. Questions about this publication are on our FAQ page.

Passport indexes publish new editions through the year, so our table will fall behind at times. Readers who see a newer Henley figure can reach our Sydney desk by email. The about page covers who writes and updates these guides.

Sources for this section: Wikipedia, Australian passport; This Is Australia, World Passport Rankings 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Sources for this section: This Is Australia, World Passport Rankings 2026; Wikipedia, Henley Passport Index; Passport Index (passportindex.org).

Sources

1. Wikipedia, Henley Passport Index (rank tables and definition): en.wikipedia.org
2. Wikipedia, Australian passport: en.wikipedia.org
3. Henley & Partners, Henley Passport Index global ranking: www.henleyglobal.com
4. This Is Australia, World Passport Rankings 2026: www.thisisaustralia.com
5. SBS News, Australian passport power revealed, as the US and UK hit record lows: www.sbs.com.au
6. Passport Index (passportindex.org), Australia passport dashboard: www.passportindex.org
7. Smartraveller, Indonesia travel advice: www.smartraveller.gov.au