UAE passport among world's top 20 'most powerful passports'
The UAE passport has been ranked the most powerful passport in the GCC, taking pole position in the region, according to the Henley Passport Index Q4 Update.
The Arab country raced ahead of Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain to clinch the top spot, with UAE passport holders able to access 171 countries without a prior visa.
On the global ranking, the UAE placed 18, climbing a remarkable 47 places over the past 10 years.
Kuwait was ranked in 57th position with visa-free access to 95 destinations, Qatar came in 58th place (93 destinations), Bahrain was in 63rd position (82 locations), Oman came in at 64th position (79) and Saudi Arabia in 66th position (77).
Asian countries firmly established their lead on the Henley Passport Index, with Japan securing the top spot on the index for the third consecutive year, with Singapore holds onto its second-place position with a score of 190, while South Korea dropped down a rank to third place alongside Germany, giving their passport holders visa-free/visa-on-arrival access to 189 destinations worldwide.
Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners and the inventor of the passport index concept, says the latest ranking provides a fascinating insight into a rapidly changing world. “Asian countries’ dominance of the top spots is a clear argument for the benefits of open-door policies and the introduction of mutually beneficial trade agreements. Over the past few years, we have seen the world adapt to mobility as a permanent condition of global life. The latest rankings show that the countries that embrace this reality are thriving, with their citizens enjoying ever-increasing passport power and the array of benefits that come with it.”
While the latest results from the Henley Passport Index show that globally, people are more mobile than ever before, they also indicate a growing divide when it comes to travel freedom, with Japanese passport holders able to access 165 more destinations around the world than Afghan nationals (26 destinations), for example. Analysis of historical data from the index reveals that this extraordinary global mobility gap is the starkest it has been since the index’s inception in 2006. - TradeArabia News Service