The UAE passport has secured its position as the 12th most powerful passport globally, marking a momentous leap of 44 places in just a decade. Holders of this extraordinary document now enjoy visa-free access to an impressive 179 countries, an increase from the 176 countries they had access to in July 2022. Here is everything you need to know about how the UAE plans to strengthen the passport further and increase GCC strength, and we include the top 100 countries the UAE now has visa-free access for.
Also read: Here’s How You Can Renew Your Passports At UAE Airports Through A 24-Hour Service.
A Decade Of Unparalleled Progress
Since 2013, the UAE has been on an awe-inspiring journey of expanding its global reach. Over the past ten years, it has astonishingly added 107 destinations to its visa-free score, cementing its status as one of the world’s leading passports. This remarkable accomplishment, nearly twice as much as the next biggest climber, has been largely attributed to the visionary efforts of the UAE in fostering international cooperation and promoting open borders.
Dr Christian H. Kaelin, the chairman of Henley & Partners and the mastermind behind the passport index, expressed his admiration for the UAE’s extraordinary rankings. He revealed that no other country had achieved such a significant increase in travel freedom, making the UAE a beacon of progress in the global landscape.
GCC Solidarity: The Road To Greater Openness
The UAE’s ascent to passport supremacy is not an isolated phenomenon within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Other member states have also demonstrated a higher-than-average trend towards increased openness. Qatar, ranking 52nd globally, is the second strongest passport in the GCC, followed closely by Kuwait (54), Bahrain (59), Oman (60), and Saudi Arabia (61).
The UAE’s openness score, which measures the ease of travel, surged from 58 to 80 since 2018, while Oman experienced an astounding leap from 71 to 106 during the same period. The region’s collective dedication to facilitating smoother travel and enhancing visa regulations is positioning the GCC nations firmly on the global stage.
Toward A Borderless GCC: Paving The Way For Greater Prosperity
Envisioning a future of seamless travel, the GCC countries are exploring the possibility of a Schengen-style visa. This visionary initiative aims to harmonise visa regulations across the region, potentially unlocking a wealth of opportunities for the entire region. As regional governments work towards implementing this endeavour, they recognise that an increased supply of travel offerings must be complemented by global demand from individuals and businesses seeking smoother travel experiences.
Top 100 Countries That The UAE Passport Can Access Visa-Free
- Albania 🇦🇱
- Andorra 🇦🇩
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda 🇦🇬
- Argentina 🇦🇷
- Aruba 🇦🇼
- Armenia 🇦🇲
- Austria 🇦🇹
- Azerbaijan 🇦🇿
- Bahamas 🇧🇸
- Bahrain 🇧🇭
- Barbados 🇧🇧
- Belarus 🇧🇾
- Belgium 🇧🇪
- Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦
- Brunei 🇧🇳
- Burkina Faso 🇧🇫
- Botswana 🇧🇼
- Brazil 🇧🇷
- Bulgaria 🇧🇬
- Caribbean Netherlands 🇳🇱
- Canada 🇨🇦
- Central African Republic 🇨🇫
- Chad 🇹🇩
- Chile 🇨🇱
- China 🇨🇳
- Curaçao 🇨🇼
- Colombia 🇨🇴
- Cook Islands 🇨🇰
- Costa Rica 🇨🇷
- Croatia 🇭🇷
- Cuba 🇨🇺
- Cyprus 🇨🇾
- Czechia 🇨🇿
- Denmark 🇩🇰
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) 🇰🇵
- Dominica 🇩🇲
- Dominican Republic 🇩🇴
- Ecuador 🇪🇨
- El Salvador 🇸🇻
- Equatorial Guinea 🇬🇳
- Estonia 🇪🇪
- Eswatini 🇸🇿
- Faroe Islands 🇫🇴
- French Guiana 🇬🇫
- French Polynesia 🇵🇫
- French West Indies
- Fiji 🇫🇯
- Finland 🇫🇮
- France 🇫🇷
- Georgia 🇬🇪
- Germany 🇩🇪
- Greece 🇬🇷
- Greenland 🇬🇱
- Grenada 🇬🇩
- Guatemala 🇬🇹
- Haiti 🇭🇹
- Hong Kong 🇭🇰
- Hungary 🇭🇺
- Iceland 🇮🇸
- Indonesia 🇮🇩
- Ireland 🇮🇪
- Italy 🇮🇹
- Japan 🇯🇵
- Jordan 🇯🇴
- Kosovo 🇽🇰
- Kiribati 🇰🇮
- Kazakhstan 🇰🇿
- Kuwait 🇰🇼
- Latvia 🇱🇻
- Lebanon 🇱🇧
- Lithuania 🇱🇹
- Luxembourg 🇱🇺
- Malaysia 🇲🇾
- Mali 🇲🇱
- Mayotte 🇾🇹
- Micronesia 🇫🇲
- Moldova 🇲🇩
- Mongolia 🇲🇳
- Malta 🇲🇹
- Mauritius 🇲🇺
- Mexico 🇲🇽
- Monaco 🇲🇨
- Montenegro 🇲🇪
- Morocco 🇲🇦
- Mozambique 🇲🇿
- Netherlands 🇳🇱
- New Zealand 🇳🇿
- Norway 🇳🇴
- Nauru 🇳🇷
- Nicaragua 🇳🇮
- Niue 🇳🇺
- North Macedonia 🇲🇰
- Oman 🇴🇲
- Pakistan 🇵🇰
- Panama 🇵🇦
- Paraguay 🇵🇾
- Peru 🇵🇪
- Philippines 🇵🇭
- Poland 🇵🇱
- Portugal 🇵🇹
- Qatar 🇶🇦
- Réunion 🇷🇪
- Romania 🇷🇴
- Russia 🇷🇺
- Samoa 🇼🇸
- San Marino 🇸🇲
- São Tomé and Príncipe 🇸🇹
- Solomon Islands 🇸🇧
- Suriname 🇸🇷
- Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦
- Senegal 🇸🇳
- Serbia 🇷🇸
- Seychelles 🇸🇨
- Singapore 🇸🇬
- Slovakia 🇸🇰
- Slovenia 🇸🇮
- South Africa 🇿🇦
- South Korea 🇰🇷
- Spain 🇪🇸
- Sri Lanka 🇱🇰
- Saint Kitts and Nevis 🇰🇳
- Saint Lucia 🇱🇨
- Sudan 🇸🇩
- Sweden 🇸🇪
- Switzerland 🇨🇭
- Syria 🇸🇾
- Thailand 🇹🇭
- Tunisia 🇹🇳
- Turks and Caicos Islands 🇹🇨
- Turkey 🇹🇷
- Ukraine 🇺🇦
- United Kingdom 🇬🇧
- Uruguay 🇺🇾
- Uzbekistan 🇺🇿
- Vatican City 🇻🇦
- Vanuatu 🇻🇺
- Zambia 🇿🇲
Singapore Takes The Crown: Japan Falls To Third Place
As the UAE rises to prominence on the world passport stage, there has been a seismic shift in the global ranking. Japan, which had held the top spot for five consecutive years, has been dethroned and now stands in third place. In a moment of triumph, Singapore’s passport emerged as the most powerful in the world. Singaporean citizens can now explore a staggering 192 travel destinations visa-free out of 227 worldwide.
Germany, Italy, and Spain share the second position, with their citizens enjoying visa-free access to an impressive 190 destinations. The Japanese passport and those of six other nations, including Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, South Korea, and Sweden, grant its holders access to 189 destinations without prior visa requirements.
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