Abu Dhabi, UAE – The UAE passport has climbed two positions to secure the 11th spot in the 2024 Passport Index by Henley & Partners. This advancement allows UAE citizens visa-free access to 183 countries.
The UAE has been the most improved nation on the Index over the past decade, adding an impressive 106 destinations to its visa-on-arrival list since 2014. The decade-long progress catapulted the UAE from the 55th position to its current 11th place.
The UAE passport continues to lead the region, outpacing other Gulf nations, with Qatar at 53rd, Kuwait at 55th, Bahrain at 59th, Oman at 60th, and Saudi Arabia at 61st. The journey of the UAE passport over the past ten years reflects a remarkable ascent in global rankings.
In comparison, passport holders of other Gulf countries have varying degrees of visa-free access: Qatar (108), Kuwait (102), Bahrain (91), Oman (90), and Saudi Arabia (89).
Globally, the top positions in the Passport Index are dominated by European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, along with Japan and Singapore. Citizens of these nations enjoy the most powerful passports, granting them visa-free access to an impressive 194 destinations out of 227 worldwide.
Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners, noted the widening global mobility gap, emphasizing that the leading countries can now travel to 166 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan, which ranks at the bottom with access to only 28 countries without a visa.
“The average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024. However, as we enter the new year, the top-ranked countries are now able to travel to a staggering 166 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan, which sits at the bottom of the ranking with access to just 28 countries without a visa,” said Kaelin.
