TRAVELLERS rejoice, the Australian passport has just become more powerful.

That’s according to the Henley Passport Index, which compares each nation for its ease of travelling around the world.

Australia ranked in sixth place alongside Greece on the index. That’s one spot higher than last year, with Aussies now having visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to a whopping 183 destinations around the world.

The index, which has been running annually since 2013, places us one position above our neighbouring Kiwis.

However, there were 20 countries with stronger passports than Australia. Topping the list was Japan and Singapore whose residents have access to 189 countries without needing a visa, followed by Germany in second position with 188 — formerly the winner.

Sweden, Finland, Italy, Spain, Denmark, France and South Korea were all ranked joint third with 187.

Fourth position was taken by Austria, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, UK, US and Portugal at 186.

Dr Christian H. Kalin, group chairman of Henley & Partners, said a passport is much more than a simple travel document.

“It is a gateway to international opportunities or a barrier to those same opportunities,” Mr Kalin said.

“The Henley Passport Index enables individuals to assess where they lie on the spectrum of global mobility and helps governments understand the relative value and power of the passports they provide.”

The results are based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association.

However, the downside to owning an Australian passport is that it’s one of the most expensive in the world, an investigation by the New Daily found.

The cost of a 10-year Australian adult passport climbed from $277 to $282 this year. The only people paying more for a travel document are those seeking a Syrian passport, which now costs $500 for those who have fled the country.