Having citizenship from a developed country is a dream for many people, including some Indonesians. Recently, the phenomenon of Indonesians expressing pride when their children obtain British citizenship has been widely discussed. But is the UK passport really among the most powerful in the world? Here is the official data from the Henley Passport Index as of February 2026.
The Phenomenon of Indonesians Proud Their Children Becoming British Citizens
Recently, a social media post from an Indonesian citizen showing their child’s distinctive blue UK passport has gone viral. In the post, the parent openly expressed pride because their child was born or raised in the United Kingdom and now holds British citizenship.
Why Is British Citizenship Considered Special?
The United Kingdom is known as one of the countries with a high quality of life, world-class education, and a universal healthcare system. For some Indonesians, having a child who becomes a British citizen is seen as a major achievement — a gateway to a more prosperous life filled with opportunities.
What Is the Henley Passport Index?
Before moving further into the main discussion, it is helpful to understand the Henley Passport Index. The Henley Passport Index is one of the most trusted global rankings that measures the strength of passports around the world. The ranking is based on how many destinations passport holders can visit without obtaining a visa in advance.
The index covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations worldwide. The data is updated regularly and supported by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), making it one of the most accurate references for global passport strength.
Rank 1 – Access to 192 Destinations
🇸🇬 Singapore
Rank 2 – Access to 187 Destinations
🇯🇵 Japan
🇰🇷 South Korea
Rank 3 – Access to 186 Destinations
🇸🇪 Sweden
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
Rank 4 – Access to 185 Destinations
🇧🇪 Belgium
🇩🇰 Denmark
🇫🇮 Finland
🇫🇷 France
🇩🇪 Germany
🇮🇪 Ireland
🇮🇹 Italy
🇱🇺 Luxembourg
🇳🇱 Netherlands
🇳🇴 Norway
🇪🇸 Spain
🇨🇭 Switzerland
Rank 5 – Access to 184 Destinations
🇦🇹 Austria
🇬🇷 Greece
🇲🇹 Malta
🇵🇹 Portugal
Rank 6 – Access to 183 Destinations
🇭🇺 Hungary
🇲🇾 Malaysia
🇳🇿 New Zealand
🇵🇱 Poland
🇸🇰 Slovakia
🇸🇮 Slovenia
Rank 7 – Access to 182 Destinations
🇦🇺 Australia
🇭🇷 Croatia
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
🇪🇪 Estonia
🇱🇻 Latvia
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Rank 8 – Access to 181 Destinations
🇨🇦 Canada
🇱🇮 Liechtenstein
🇱🇹 Lithuania
Rank 9 – Access to 180 Destinations
🇮🇸 Iceland
Rank 10 – Access to 179 Destinations
🇺🇸 United States
Where Does the Indonesian Passport Rank?
Based on the Henley Passport Index data from February 2026, the Indonesian passport ranks 62nd in the world, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 72 destinations. Indonesia shares the same position with Morocco and Eswatini.
Compared with neighboring countries, the gap is quite significant. Singapore ranks 1st with access to 192 destinations, Malaysia ranks 6th with 183 destinations, Brunei is 19th with 163 destinations, and Thailand sits at 58th with 78 destinations.
So, How Strong Is the UK Passport?
The UK passport ranks 7th in the world, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 182 destinations. This places it among the world’s most powerful passports, even though it does not hold the top position. Compared to the Indonesian passport, which provides access to 72 destinations, the difference is significant—a gap of 110 countries in terms of travel freedom without needing to arrange visas in advance.
Conclusion
Mobility freedom is indeed one of the major advantages offered by passports from developed countries. However, such privileges ideally come with responsibilities that should not be overlooked. For the general public, the Henley Passport Index serves as a reminder of how important diplomacy and international relations are in determining how far a passport can take its holder. Full data can be accessed at henleyglobal.com/passport-index/ranking.
