With German passport you can go everywhere

German citizens still possess the world's most powerful passport, according to new research, the 12th annual edition of the Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index, which is produced in partnership with the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The ranking takes into account how many countries can be visited without applying for a visa. German passport holders can travel to 176 out of a possible 218, while Britons can visit 173; for the fourth year in a row, it has been crowned “world’s most powerful passport.”

The UK topped the 2015 rankings, alongside Germany, but ceded that spot after several countries relaxed visa restrictions to the latter. It was leapfrogged by Sweden last year and now lags behind Denmark, Finland, Italy, Spain and the US.

Austria, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway and Singapore share eighth place with the UK. Syria, Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan prop up the table, each with visa-free access to fewer than 30 countries.

"We have witnessed several major events recently that are likely to have an impact on global mobility – including Brexit and the election of US President Donald Trump," said Dr Christian H. Kälin, chairman of Henley & Partners. "Both can be interpreted as steps toward restricting movement and creating barriers to entry. This trend towards curbing travel freedom is already apparent in the shift in rankings on this year's Visa Restrictions Index."

Since the Brexit vote last June, the UK passport has become a charged symbol signifying its diplomatic stance with the rest of the world. British Prime minister Theresa May is expected to trigger Article 50 by March 29, officially starting their exit from the European Union. Experts conjecture that the UK citizens won’t likely be required to obtain visas to enter the 26-nation Schengen zone, though they may have to go through the hassle of applying for a travel permit and pay a fee to visit Europe like other non-EU citizens.

The biggest mover was Peru, which climbed 15 places. The Marshall Islands, the Solomon Islands, Micronesia, Kiribati and Tuvalu all jumped at least nine places. It follows big gains made in 2016 by Tonga (+16 spots), Palau (+20), Colombia (+25) and Timor-Leste (+33).

"For individuals who hold passports of countries with fewer visa waiver agreements, a second or even third citizenship can open up travel opportunities to countries previously restricted by time-consuming visa application requirements and processes," Kalin said.

The world's  top 10 most powerful passports for 2017:

1. Germany
2. Sweden
3. Denmark, Finland, Italy, Spain, US
4. Austria, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, UK
5. Ireland, Japan, New Zealand
6. Canada, Greece, Portugal, Switzerland
7. Australia, South Korea
8. Iceland
9. Czech Republic
10. Hungary, Malta