South Africa’s passport has lost further ground in global mobility, according to the 2025 Henley Passport Index, which tracks how many destinations travellers can access without a visa.
The latest edition of the index shows a continued decline in the document’s overall power, despite a slight improvement in its ranking position.
The Henley Passport Index, regarded as one of the most authoritative measures of passport strength, assesses 199 passports against 227 possible destinations using data from the International Air Transport Authority.
It is based on nearly two decades of historic records and remains a key reference for comparing international travel freedom.
Although South Africa has climbed from 53rd to 51st place on the list, the actual number of visa free destinations available to South African passport holders has dropped.
Travellers can now access 101 destinations without a visa, down from previous totals, following Kosovo’s recent decision to introduce visa requirements for South African nationals.
The latest figures reflect ongoing challenges for South Africans seeking greater travel access, even as global migration and border policies continue to shift.
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