The UAE passport has maintained its position as the strongest in the region and has seen an improvement in its global ranking, moving up three positions to become the 12th most powerful passport worldwide.
As per the recent Henley Passport Index released on Tuesday, UAE passport holders now enjoy visa-free access to 179 countries before their flights.
This number has increased from 178 countries at the end of last year and 176 countries in July 2022.
UAE’s remarkable progress in visa-free access
Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners, praised the UAE for its remarkable progress, adding 107 destinations to its visa-free score since 2013.
“The UAE has added an impressive 107 destinations to its visa-free score since 2013, resulting in a massive leap of 44 places in the ranking over the past 10 years from 56th to 12th position. This is almost double the next biggest climber, Colombia, which has enjoyed a jump of 28 places in the ranking to sit in 37th spot,” Kaelin said.
According to Dr. Robert Mogielnicki, a Senior Resident Scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have shown a notable inclination towards increased openness, particularly seen in the UAE’s rise in openness score from 58 to 80 and Oman’s leap from 71 to 106 between 2018 and the present, marking a significant 22 and 35 point increase, respectively.
However, it’s worth noting that despite various measures taken by regional governments, only the UAE has experienced a considerable surge in its travel freedom.
“Regional governments can impact the supply-side of the development equation by adjusting visa schemes, enacting reforms, and launching new initiatives. However, a greater supply of such offerings does not necessarily guarantee reciprocity or an immediate boost in global demand from individuals and firms. A Schengen-style visa to facilitate smoother travel between GCC countries is reportedly in the works. Such a step would require greater harmonization of region-wide visa regulations, potentially boosting the openness rankings of several GCC countries and placing the entire region more firmly in the global spotlight,” Mogielnicki said.
Singapore surpasses Japan as the most powerful passport
In a groundbreaking development, Japan’s five-year reign as the top country in the Henley Passport Index has come to an end.
According to the latest ranking, Singapore has claimed the throne, becoming the most powerful passport globally.
Singaporean citizens now enjoy visa-free access to an impressive 192 travel destinations out of 227 worldwide.
Germany, Italy, and Spain have moved up to share second place, with visa-free access to 190 destinations.
Japan finds itself in the third position alongside Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, South Korea, and Sweden, with access to 189 destinations without a visa.
The United Kingdom has made a significant rebound, jumping two spots to fourth place, a position it last held in 2017.
USA passport slips
On the other hand, the United States continues its decade-long slide, dropping two places to the 8th spot, providing access to just 184 destinations visa-free.
In 2014, both the UK and the US jointly held the top position on the index, but their rankings have been on a downward trajectory ever since.
The Henley Passport Index, now in its 18th year, indicates a general trend toward increased travel freedom, with the average number of visa-free destinations for travelers nearly doubling from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2023.
However, this progress highlights a widening global mobility gap, with Singapore having 165 more destinations accessible visa-free than Afghanistan, which remains at the bottom of the index.
Experts point out the correlation between a country’s openness to foreigners (Henley Openness Index) and its citizens’ travel freedom (Henley Passport Index).
Small island nations and African states, along with Cambodia, dominate the top 20 most open countries.
On the other end of the spectrum, Afghanistan, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, and Turkmenistan offer no visa-free access for any passport, while Libya, Bhutan, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, and India provide limited access.
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