UAE passport best in the world with access to 180 countries without a visa

Khansaa Al Zubair, Staff Reporter

The UAE has added a new record to its list of achievements as the UAE passport has ranked as the most powerful travel document in the world, according to Arton Capital’s Index of the world’s most powerful passport, which includes the top ten places dominated by European countries.

The UAE passport entitles its holder to enter 180 countries without a visa, surpassing seven European countries such as Germany, Sweden, France and Italy, Australia and nine countries such as Japan, whose passport was earlier this year ranked as the best in the world in a list published by Henley & Partners.

Throughout the pandemic, the UAE remained less affected by the widespread lockdowns seen around the world and adopted strict regulations as regards the use of masks and vaccination.

This milestone will be added to the country’s growing list of global rankings, which include the world’s tallest building, deepest swimming pool and tallest hotel.

According to Dr Robert Mogielnicki, Senior Resident Scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute and Advisory Board Member of Henley & Partner, said the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) continue to roll out ambitious initiatives and schemes to attract high-net-worth individuals and skilled expatriate professionals.

“These investment migration efforts and new labour market policies are part of a broader strategy to position GCC countries as hubs for global capital and talent.”