In the Henley Passport Index 2026, released on Jan. 13, the Malaysian passport ranked ninth globally, ahead of the U.S. (10th) and several European countries, including Monaco and Bulgaria.

Malaysian citizens enjoy visa-free access to 180 countries and territories.

In Southeast Asia, Malaysia’s passport was the second most powerful after Singapore’s.

Malaysia is one of five Asian economies represented in the global top 10 in 2026, alongside Singapore (1st), South Korea and Japan (tied for 2nd), and the United Arab Emirates (5th).

The January rankings mark a notable improvement from Malaysia’s 12th-place position in 2025.

According to the Malaysian Immigration Department, the high ranking reflects the country’s solid international standing and the level of trust it enjoys globally, the New Straits Times reported.

Over the 20-year history of the index, Malaysia’s highest ranking was 8th in 2014. The passport ranked ninth in 2006 and 2013, while in other years it fluctuated between 10th and 14th — an indicator of the country’s long-term stability and consistent global perception.

Analysts note that passport strength reflects not only ease of travel but also how the international community assesses a country’s governance capacity, credibility, and diplomatic effectiveness, Travel and Tour World reported.

Malaysia is widely classified as politically stable, with low immigration risk and relatively transparent institutions.

Malaysian travelers are generally regarded as low-risk and law-abiding by immigration authorities, which supports the extension of visa-free access.

Economic standing is another key contributor.

Malaysia is a regional manufacturing and trading hub, with a skilled workforce, stable purchasing power, and a responsible tourism image. These attributes help reinforce international confidence in Malaysian passport holders.

Diplomacy has further sustained this advantage. Malaysia actively pursues multilateral engagement, strengthening ties with the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa while maintaining close relations with Western countries.

In terms of border openness, Malaysia ranked 13th globally for granting visa-free, visa-on-arrival, or electronic travel authorization (ETA) access to citizens of 167 countries and territories.

According to news site Seasia.cothe passport’s strong ranking is a source of national pride for many Malaysians.

Many Malaysians have expressed national pride, celebrating the fact that their passport allows them to travel “almost everywhere visa-free.”

“When I went to Morocco, a customs officer asked for my visa. I told them that Malaysians don’t need one to enter. They checked again and came back saying, ‘You’re right. You don’t need a visa.’ It feels great to just enter a country visa-free,” one netizen shared on Facebook.

Malaysia recently announced it will roll out a newly designed passport with enhanced security features in the coming six month.

The Henley Passport Index tracks global travel freedom across 227 countries and territories, using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

It ranks 199 passports based on the number of destinations their holders can enter without obtaining a visa in advance. Updated regularly throughout the year to reflect changes in visa policies, the index is widely regarded as a key measure of global mobility.