The index measures the value of a passport by considering the quality of life within the country and the freedoms and visa free travel it affords, globally.
France, which has never ranked outside the top 10, did not improve on its score of 81.7% (82.4%) but still managed to overtake Germany to take the top spot for the first time.
Germany, which has never not topped the ranking, scored 81.6% down from 82.7%. In the preceding four years it scored 83.1%, highlighting its decline.
In descending order Iceland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Finland, Ireland and Switzerland (in joint ninth place) made up the top 10.
The UK ranked 13th down from a high of 5th in 2011. Columbia was most improved since 2013 thanks to a number of bilateral settlement deals. Georgia climbed the most in 2017 linked to its 2017 visa-waiver agreement with the Schengen area.
At the launch of the 2017 index at the Drapers Hall in London, Henley chair Christian Kalin said: “Some countries are adapting to the needs of their citizens while others lag behind, clinging to old ideals of nationalism and nationality.
“This index is not interested in the size and power of a country but the opportunities it offers both internally and externally in terms of settlement and travel freedoms.
“This index is not just for individuals but also governments who want to create competitive and compelling destinations.”
Singapore on steroids
The launch event also included a Brexit panel hosted by Justin Webb and featuring constitutional expert Vernon Bogdanor and former ambassador Christopher Meyer.
Meyer said he favoured remain but now thought the vote should not be revisited “I have no truck with remoaners”.
Bogdanor disagreed saying there “is no such thing as a soft Brexit unless you want to be an EU colony”.
The only way we can make a success of Brexit is if we become “Singapore on steroids” removing banker pay caps, cutting tax and regulations, he added.
“People voted for less globalism and more social protections but this is the only way Brexit can be a success for us,” he said.
Report co-author Dimitry Kochenov said the switch to the blue passport would be painful for UK and lead to big slide down the rankings.
