The Immigration Department has announced that Nepalese citizens can transit through Hong Kong directly by air without leaving the transit lounge of the airport and can do so visa-free from 15 November. Other visa arrangements for Nepalese citizens to enter Hong Kong remain unchanged.
The Immigration Department. Photo source: reference image
The spokesperson indicated that since Nepal is a country along the Belt and Road, the visa-free transit arrangement can both bring greater convenience to Nepalese travelers and help to consolidate Hong Kong's status as an international aviation hub under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Henley & Partners recently released its 20th‑anniversary report, the Henley Passport Index 2026, in which Singapore once again retains its title as the world’s most powerful passport, with visa‑free access to 192 destinations. The HKSAR passport, offering visa‑free access to 174 destinations, ranks 14th globally.
The HKSAR passport, Photo by Bastille Post
The index, which measures passport convenience, has witnessed dramatic shifts in passport strength over the past two decades. In 2006, the United States, along with Denmark and Finland, ranked first globally as the most widely used passport. Nevertheless, the latest rankings show that the United States has dropped to 10th place, tied with Iceland. While the number of visa‑free destinations for the US passport has increased to 180, 50 more than in 2006, other countries have made even greater progress, with 36 countries and regions now offering more visa‑free destinations than the United States.
The latest Henley Passport Index shows that the US passport has dropped to 10th place. Photo source: reference image
The top three positions in the latest index are all held by Asian countries. Singapore maintains its leading position with 192 visa‑free destinations; Japan and South Korea are tied for second place with 188 visa‑free destinations. The HKSAR passport continues to perform well, ranking 14th with visa‑free travel to 174 countries and regions, while the PRC ordinary passport offers visa‑free access to 83 destinations, ranking 60th.
The HKSAR passport, Photo source: reference image
Hong Kong, Photo source: reference image
