UAE makes top 10 debut in Henley...

UAE passport holders have visa-free access to 185 countries

The UAE passport has debuted in the top 10 of the Henley Passport Index listing the most powerful passports in the world.

Over the past 18 years, the UAE passport has moved from a modest 62nd position on the Henley Passport Index to 9th place in the latest 2024 ranking, published in July.

The country's passport holders have visa-free access to 185 countries; that's an increase of 152 countries – a 429% rise – since the global index began in 2006 when Emirati citizens could access just 35 destinations visa-free.

“[This] is the result of deliberate and concerted efforts by the Emirati government to position the UAE as a global hub for business, tourism and investment,” says Juerg Steffen, Chief Executive of Henley & Partners, the London global citizenship and residence advisory firm, which compiles the index.

This transformation has enhanced the travel freedom of Emirati citizens and positioned the UAE as a global hub for business, tourism and investment. As a result, the UAE has seen its GDP per capita soar, its tourism sector flourish and its status as an international business centre has been cemented.

Singapore reclaimed the top spot with access to 195 destinations, followed by France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Spain, which all have access to 192 countries.

Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea and Sweden come in third with 191 destinations.

The UK hangs onto fourth place, along with Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland with access to 190 countries. Australia and Portugal round out the fifth spot with 189 destinations.

Meanwhile, the US continues to drop, this year to eighth with 186 destinations.

Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the list with access to only 26 countries – the lowest score recorded in the history of the Index.

Christian H Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners said: “The general trend over the past two decades has been towards greater travel freedom, with the global average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free nearly doubling from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024.

“However, the global mobility gap between those at the top and bottom of the index is now wider than it has ever been, with top-ranked Singapore able to access a record-breaking 169 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan."

The top 10 most powerful passports in 2024

Singapore (195 destinations)
France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain (192)
Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden (191)
Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom (190)
Australia, Portugal (189)
Greece, Poland (188)
Canada, Czechia, Hungary, Malta (187)
United States (186)
Estonia, Lithuania, United Arab Emirates (185)
Iceland, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia (184)

For the past 19 years, the Henley Passport Index has been tracking global freedoms in 227 countries and territories around the world, using data from the International Air Transport Association (Iata).

For more information, visit www.henleyglobal.com

FIND OUT MORE