Canadian passport holders now enjoy visa-free travel to more destinations than US passport holders.

For years, the US passport held the top spot as the most powerful travel document globally. However, in 2025, Canada surpassed the US in passport strength.

But Americans have a pathway to a second strong passport through their family lineage.

In 2025, Canada’s passport overtook the US’s, and a new Canadian citizenship law broadened eligibility for millions of Americans with Canadian ancestry.

Twenty years ago, the US led the Henley Passport Index, ranking passports by visa-free access. Canada ranked sixth then but has now surpassed the US, offering its citizens visa-free entry to 182 destinations compared to the US’s 179.

This shift symbolizes a trend towards increased global mobility for Canadian passport holders, with less bureaucracy and more flexibility.

The recent Canadian citizenship law change allows millions of Americans with Canadian roots to apply for Canadian passports, removing the generational limit on citizenship by descent.

Americans tracing their lineage to a Canadian ancestor can now obtain proof of citizenship, regardless of how many generations have lived in the US.