South Africa achieved its highest position on the Henley Passport Index in more than a decade, climbing from 53rd place in 2024 to 48th in the latest 2025 rankings.
This progress heralded the country’s improved global mobility, with South African passport holders now granted visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 106 destinations worldwide.
Leon Schreiber, South Africa’s home affairs minister, expressed satisfaction with the achievement, attributing it to reforms within the department.
"As reform takes root at home affairs, our Green Mamba has broken into the top 50 for the first time in a decade, improving from 53rd in the world in 2024 to 48th in 2025," Schreiber stated.
The Henley Passport Index, widely regarded as the most authoritative global ranking of passports, evaluates travel freedom by assessing the number of destinations accessible without requiring a visa.
Covering 199 passports and 227 destinations, the index draws data from the annual Global Mobility Report and the International Air Transport Association.
Schreiber noted that South Africa’s rise resulted from ongoing efforts to modernise and streamline processes within the home affairs department.
He highlighted the introduction of biometric e-passports embedded with microchips to enhance both security and efficiency.
The minister also acknowledged the team’s dedication, stating, "We are on course to end our year with a 94% completion of our backlog."
This accomplishment, he noted, contributed significantly to the improved passport ranking.
Each passport received a score based on visa requirements, with a score of 1 assigned for visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations and 0 for destinations requiring a visa before departure.
The Henley Passport Index’s 19 years of historical data served as a valuable resource for analysing global travel and geopolitical trends.
