UAE ranks in the top 10 in new mid-year passport rankings
The UAE is coming in strong at number 8
Global mid-year passport rankings by the coveted Henley Passport Index have been announced. And the UAE has occupied a cool spot in the top 10 most powerful passports in the world, sitting at number 8, with access to 184 countries and territories without needing a prior visa or with visa-on-arrival access. Sounds like the ultimate dream.
Remarkably, the UAE is the only GCC country in the top 10 of the index.
The UAE has seen quite a bit growth in this department in the last 10 years, shooting up from the 42nd spot to 8th place – a whopping 32 spots in a decade, making it the only big riser to break into the top 10 in the ranking. Earlier only 35 destinations granted the UAE entry and now the number is at 100+.
Of course, this exponential climb comes as no surprise to anyone – like everything else in the UAE, having seen incredible development in the past few decades. From the infrastructure to the mobility to the country’s ties to the rest of the world, the UAE has come a long way, and now occupies a privileged position as one one of the top tourist destinations in the world.
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Around the world
As for the rest of the list, Singapore has once again taken the crown as the most powerful passport in the world, with visa-free access to 193 destinations out of 227 globally. The second spot is shared by Japan and South Korea, each granting their citizens access to 190 destinations visa-free. Third place is shared by a number of European countries – Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain, all with access to 189 destinations.
On the other end of the spectrum, Afghanistan occupies the lowest spot in the list as the weakest passport in the world, with its citizens able to access just 25 destinations without a prior visa.
The top-ten list
- Singapore – 193 countries
- Japan, South Korea – 190 countries
- Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain – 189 countries
- Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden – 188 countries
- Greece, New Zealand, Switzerland – 187 countries
- United Kingdom – 186 countries
- Australia, Czechia, Hungary, Malta, Poland – 185 countries
- Canada, Estonia, UAE – 184 countries
- Croatia, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia – 183 countries
- Iceland, Lithuania, United States of America – 182 countries
What is the Henley Passport Index?
