UAE passport among world’s most powerful in 2023

The UAE passport is ranked 12^th globally in the latest Henley Passport Index, a ranking of the world’s most powerful passports.

The index is based on the number of destinations passport holders can access without obtaining a prior visa. In addition, the data was based on official records from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Singapore sits at the top of the ranking, with citizens able to visit 192 destinations, out of 227, visa-free. Meanwhile, Meanwhile, Germany, Italy, and Spain are tied in second position. Their citizens can access 190 countries without a visa.

Erstwhile leader Japan, slipped to third place along with Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, South Korea, and Sweden. Passport holders from these nations can travel to 189 countries visa-free.

Multiple countries can share a ranking if their passports allow holders to visit the same number of countries visa-free. The UAE shares the 12th spot with Cyprus.

It should be noted that the Henley Passport Index is just one of many indexes created by financial firms to rank passports according to the access they provide to their citizens.

For instance, Arton Capital’s passport index in 2023 ranks the UAE passport in first position, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 180. Second spot was assigned to 11 countries, including Germany, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and South Korea.

Read: UAE passport jumps 34 places, ranks world’s strongest in 2023

GCC passport rankings

Other Gulf countries that figured on the Henley Passport Index include Qatar’s passport, which ranked 52^nd. This allows Qataris to travel to 103 countries visa-free. Kuwait followed at 54^th, with 99 visa-free destinations.

Bahrain came next at 59th with 88 destinations, while Oman ranked in 60th position with 85 countries. Saudi Arabia was 61st on the list with its passport holders allowed to visit 83 countries without a prior visa.

“Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have generally displayed higher-than-average shifts toward increased openness,” the Henley report said.

The Henley Passport Index says, quoting Robert Mogielnicki, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, that GCC countries can improve their rankings by “adjusting visa schemes, enacting reforms and launching new initiatives.”

At the Arabian Travel Market held in Dubai last May, Bahrain’s tourism minister Fatima al-Sairafi revealed that GCC countries are now discussing plans for a Schengen-style visa for tourists covering the Gulf region.

Elsewhere in the Arab region, Syrian and Iraqi passports were ranked at the bottom of the list, allowing holders to visit only 30 and 29 destinations, respectively. The Henley Passport Index list Afghanistan at 103^rd, the lowest, with citizens able to travel to only 27 countries visa-free.

Iran, Lebanon, Libya, the Palestine, Sudan and Yemen, understandably because of ongoing crisis situations, ranked lowly on the index.

Meanwhile, Turkey was placed in 50th position with 114 destinations. Interestingly, Turkish passport holders must obtain a Schengen visa to enter some European countries since Turkey is not a member of the European Union.

Henley Passport Index MENA ranking:

Henley Passport Index global top 10:

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