M. Gessen is an Opinion columnist for The Times. They won a George Polk Award for opinion writing in 2024. They are the author of 11 books, including “The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia,” which won the National Book Award in 2017.

The government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1, 2025, has impacted many federal services, but passport processing hasn't been affected—yet.

The Henley Passport Index 2025 evaluates 199 passports across 227 destinations, ranking them based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

For its latest edition of Global Gateways, Alaska Airlines is focusing on six Pacific Rim destinations offering sun-filled skies and warm weather, while the U.S. nears winter. The post Keep your passport ready—Atmos Rewards unlocks Pacific escapes appeared first on The Manual.

Even if no one suspects wrongdoing, an unauthorized mark can still violate the passport’s terms of issuance. Because assessments are subjective, one border or airline official might overlook it, while another could label the document “damaged” and refuse it entirely.

Indians can travel to more visa-free destinations than a decade ago, but India's passport ranking has declined.