The Henley Passport Index quarter three reports showed Kenyan citizens can travel to 59 countries worldwide without necessarily applying for a visa

This was a drop from 79 in December 2019 and 64 from quarter two of 2021 attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic which is still widespread in the country

Japan maintained its top spot for the third year running, with its citizens able to access 193 destinations without having to obtain a visa in advance

The Kenyan passport has been ranked the 11th most powerful in Africa and 77th globally; a new ranking by the Henley Passport Index has shown.

The Henley Passport Index quarter three reports showed Kenyan citizens can travel to 59 countries worldwide without necessarily applying for a visa.

This was a drop from 79 in December 2019 and 64 from quarter two of 2021 attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic which is still widespread in the country.

Kenyan passport holders locked out of 54 countries

According to Business Daily, Kenyan passport holders have been locked out of 54 countries amid heightened COVID-19 restrictions across the world.

Some of the countries that have put travelling on hold for Kenyan passport holders are Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Cambodia, UK, Canada, Portugal, Denmark, Bulgaria and Singapore.

Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Chile, Czech Republic and Cyprus are other countries that have restricted Kenyan citizens.

Cameroon places restrictions on Kenya

In Africa, Cameroon is the only country that has placed restrictions on Kenya.

“Borders remain firmly closed in several countries, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, while many others continue to ban travellers from high-risk regions,” the report stated.

Quarantine

Nairobi has asked citizens from some countries to undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine on arrival in the country.

Some of the countries in this category are Ireland, Kuwait, Pakistan Brunei and Thailand.

Countries Kenyans can access without visa

Singapore, Hong Kong, Jamaica and Fiji top the list of countries that a Kenyan can access without a visa or get one on arrival.

The countries are among the 29 globally that Kenyan passport holders have no restrictions.

Kenya’s Immigration Department started rolling out e-passports in 2017 to replace the current generation of manual travel documents, which are set to be phased out in December 2021.

The new document comes with a small electric chip, a digital photograph, a biometric identifier and security features.

The old passport will be rendered unusable and cease to be recognised as travel documents in December 2021.

This means one will have to apply for the new passport before the expiry of the deadline.

·         10 most powerful passports in the world

1. Japan

According to CNN, Japan would win the competition for the most powerful passports in the world if there was an Olympics of passports.

The country tops the list as it is now offering visa-free or visa on arrival for citizens from 193 countries globally.

2. Singapore

The South-East Asian country, which is one of the most expensive to live in the world, has a powerful passport that can allow one access to 192 nations.

3. German and South Korea

The two countries tied at position three with a score of 191 destinations.

4. Finland, Italy, Spain, Luxembourg

The four European countries bagged the fourth position. Passport holders from these nations are granted access to 190 countries.

5. Austria and Denmark

Austria and Denmark tied at position five with a visa-free score of 189.

6. France, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden

The quintet had a score of 188 up from 186 in January.

7. Belgium, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States

The five developed countries had a visa-free score of 187.

8. Czech Republic, Greece, Malta and Norway

The beauty of these nations is breathtaking, no wonder they made it to the top ten list of countries worth having a passport to. They can be accessed by nationals from 186 countries globally.

9. Australia, Canada

The two countries are home to diverse Kenyan communities. Citizens from 185 countries can access them without breaking a sweat.

10. Hungary

The Hungarian passport currently ranks 10th as per the Henley Passport Index.

It provides visa-free access to 184 countries. With a high mobility score, it is one of the best-ranking passports in the world.

10 least powerful passports in the world

Countries affected by terrorism were the ones with the least powerful passports.