Paraguay’s passport has climbed another place in the latest Henley Passport Index, ranking 29th globally in August 2026. This is the country’s highest position since the index began in 2006, matching the levels last reached in 2013 and 2014. On the other hand, the Paraguayan passport offers access to one fewer destination than at the same point last year. According to the latest Henley Passport Index, Paraguayan passport holders can currently access 145 destinations without obtaining a visa before travelling. In August 2025, Paraguay ranked 30th after ranking only 37th three years ago.
The change puts Paraguay among the stronger passports in the region, although the country’s measured travel access has remained broadly stable over the past year.
Paraguay moves up despite losing one destination
Paraguay’s position has improved slightly since August 2025. Last year, the Paraguayan passport ranked 30th with a score of 148 destinations. In the latest 2026 ranking, it has moved to 29th, while its score has fallen to 145.
The seemingly contradictory movement, a higher ranking but fewer accessible destinations, is possible because Henley’s ranking is relative. A passport can move up when other countries lose access or experience smaller changes in their scores. In other words, Paraguay has not necessarily become more mobile in absolute terms. Instead, its position compared with other passports has improved slightly.
How Paraguay compares regionally
Paraguay remains competitive within Latin America. In the latest ranking, Uruguay is positioned higher, while Argentina and Brazil remain among the region’s strongest passports. Paraguay’s 145-destination score places it ahead of several other Latin American passports.
The regional picture also highlights how passport mobility can change independently of a country’s position in the global ranking. Different diplomatic agreements, visa policies and changes in entry requirements can affect individual scores throughout the year. For Paraguayan travellers, the Henley ranking therefore provides a useful snapshot of international mobility, rather than a permanent measure of passport strength.
What the 2025-2026 change means
Compared with August 2025, Paraguay’s passport has experienced only a modest change. The result places Paraguay firmly within the world’s top 30 passports according to Henley’s methodology. For travellers planning an international trip, rankings provide a useful overview. Nevertheless, individual visa requirements should always be checked with the destination country’s official authorities.
It is also worth noting that Henley is not the only passport ranking available. Arton Capital’s Passport Index uses a different methodology and can produce different scores because it includes additional forms of facilitated travel, such as certain e-visas. The two rankings should therefore not be treated as interchangeable.
An index with 20 years of history
The Henley Passport Index is the oldest of the two major international passport rankings, with its origins dating back to 2006. In July 2026, Henley & Partners marked the index’s 20th anniversary, noting that the average passport now provides access to 108 destinations without a prior visa, compared with just 58 when the index was launched.
The index ranks 199 passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without obtaining a visa before travelling. It covers 227 destinations and is updated monthly. Its data is based on exclusive information from the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Timatic system, complemented by Henley & Partners’ own research. Henley awards a point when travellers can enter a destination without a prior visa, obtain a visa on arrival, receive a visitor permit or use an electronic travel authorisation (ETA).
