The upgrade means Malaysian passport holders can visit 175 destinations without obtaining a visa before departure, according to figures cited by the country's immigration department. Of these, 129 are visa‑free and 46 offer visas on arrival.

This moves Malaysia from third place last year to second place in the Passport Index. The Passport Index measures passport mobility by the number of destinations that can be entered without a prior visa, as compiled by Passport Index.

Being second means Malaysians can visit more countries easily than before, giving them greater freedom and less paperwork when they travel.

Spain ranks third, while 16 countries share fourth place, including Japan, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Switzerland, Greece, Portugal, Austria, Norway and Ireland. The United Kingdom, Canada and the United States are also in the top 10.

The Henley Passport Index uses a different methodology. In that ranking, Malaysia is seventh globally, alongside Australia, Canada, Czechia, Latvia, New Zealand, Slovakia and Slovenia.

For travelers, a higher rank means more spontaneous trips, lower visa costs and the ability to plan holidays without waiting for approvals, putting Malaysia ahead of many wealthy nations in travel freedom.