TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A British consultancy firm, Henley and Partners, have published an annual Passport Index ranking the relative strength of the world’s passports.

The Henley Passport Index ranks Taiwan’s passport as the 29th strongest in the world, a ranking shared by Costa Rica.

According to the index, Taiwanese travelers hold the seventh most powerful passport in Asia, behind Japan which is number one globally, and then Singapore and South Korea, which are both tied for second in the global ranking.

Malaysia ranks number 12 on the list, while the Hong Kong passport ranks as number 19, and Brunei comes in at number 21 on the index.

Taiwan can currently enter 149 countries of the world visa-free, while Japanese travelers can access 190. The rank two countries of Singapore and South Korea can access 189. Malaysian travelers can enter 179 countries, while citizens of Hong Kong can visit 169 without a visa, and Brunei, 165.

The rank is close to an earlier ranking from a similar passport index by Arton Capitol, which placed the Taiwan Passport as the 28th most powerful in the world, alongside the Ukrainian passport.

The press release notes that “Asian countries dominate when it comes to passport power in 2019.” The Group Chairman for Henley and Partners, Christian Kalin, says that despite some trends towards isolationism, most countries in the world remain committed to collaboration and supporting a proactive approach to foreign affairs, which includes investing in “international mobility.”

Visit the official webpage to view the full Henley Passport Index and report.