Hong Kong residents have gained ground in the global mobility league table, with the city’s HKSAR passport now providing visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 171 destinations, according to the 2026 Henley Passport Index released on 16 January. The improvement moves Hong Kong up three rungs to 15th place worldwide, overtaking Liechtenstein and and edging closer to New Zealand and the United States.
While Singapore retained the top spot with 192 visa-waiver destinations, analysts note that Hong Kong’s jump is significant because it occurred despite the lingering geopolitical headwinds affecting some bilateral agreements. Over the past 12 months, Mongolia, Uzbekistan and several Caribbean states added visa-free entry for HKSAR passport holders, tipping the tally past the psychologically important 170 mark.
![Hong Kong passport climbs three places to 15th in latest Henley Mobility ranking]()
Greater travel freedom is good news for corporates headquartered in the city. Business-development teams can now reach more markets without lengthy consular paperwork, saving both time and compliance costs. Immigration advisers, however, stress that the index is an “at-border” measure; separate work-permit rules still apply for gainful employment and posting expatriate staff overseas.
The ranking does not include the British National (Overseas) passport, still held by some 2.9 million Hongkongers born before the 1997 hand-over. For comparison, the BN(O) document currently offers visa-free access to 161 destinations and a bespoke pathway to settlement in the United Kingdom.
Travel-management companies are advising employers to update their visa-matrix tools and briefing notes. For example, Hong Kong passport holders heading to Uzbekistan for short conferences no longer need an e-visa, and those transiting Mongolia can skip the previous single-entry sticker. Meanwhile, firms should continue monitoring reciprocity negotiations with the European Union, where a post-pandemic review of visa-waiver arrangements is scheduled for mid-2026.
While Singapore retained the top spot with 192 visa-waiver destinations, analysts note that Hong Kong’s jump is significant because it occurred despite the lingering geopolitical headwinds affecting some bilateral agreements. Over the past 12 months, Mongolia, Uzbekistan and several Caribbean states added visa-free entry for HKSAR passport holders, tipping the tally past the psychologically important 170 mark.
Greater travel freedom is good news for corporates headquartered in the city. Business-development teams can now reach more markets without lengthy consular paperwork, saving both time and compliance costs. Immigration advisers, however, stress that the index is an “at-border” measure; separate work-permit rules still apply for gainful employment and posting expatriate staff overseas.
The ranking does not include the British National (Overseas) passport, still held by some 2.9 million Hongkongers born before the 1997 hand-over. For comparison, the BN(O) document currently offers visa-free access to 161 destinations and a bespoke pathway to settlement in the United Kingdom.
Travel-management companies are advising employers to update their visa-matrix tools and briefing notes. For example, Hong Kong passport holders heading to Uzbekistan for short conferences no longer need an e-visa, and those transiting Mongolia can skip the previous single-entry sticker. Meanwhile, firms should continue monitoring reciprocity negotiations with the European Union, where a post-pandemic review of visa-waiver arrangements is scheduled for mid-2026.
Source: South China Morning Post
