Dubai: The UAE passport has climbed up in global rankings and is now the third most powerful in the passport index, according to new data released by Arton Capital.
The UAE’s rank was published in the Global Passport Power Ranking 2021, a list powered by Canadian financial advisory firm Arton Capital.
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The passport index rated the UAE with a mobility score of 134, which meant that citizens can travel to 86 countries without a tourist visa and 48 countries where a visa can be acquired either online or upon arrival.
Despite the challenges of travelling amid COVID-19, the UAE successfully opened its doors to tourism and commercial activities, and was able to resume its operations at international airports. Dubai Airports reopened Terminal 1 and Concourse D at Dubai International (DXB) on June 24, while Emirates airline also reportedly plans to restore 90 per cent of its passenger network by the end of July.
The passport index of Arton Capital also ranked seven other countries in third place, including Finland, Austria, Italy, Ireland, Japan, South Korea and the US, who all received a mobility score of 134.
The New Zealand passport was ranked first with a score of 136, as it citizens were able to enter 92 countries visa-free and have access to 44 countries with either a visa on arrival or online.
Statistics further revealed that four countries were ranked as the second most powerful passports, including Germany, Spain, Switzerland and Australia, with a mobility score of 135.
The UK passport landed 5th position on the list, while China, India and Pakistan were ranked 54, 63 and 79 respectively.
The weakest passports in the world were Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Somalia who were ranked 83, 82, 81 and 80 respectively.
Passport Index
- New Zealand
- Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Australia
- UAE, Finland, Austria, Italy, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, US
- Sweden, Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, France, Portugal, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Hungary
- Malta, Slovenia, Greece, Poland, Slovakia, UK
- Norway, Lithuania
- Singapore, Estonia, Latvia
- Iceland, Canada
- Cyprus, Croatia, Liechtenstein, Romania
- Bulgaria
Source: Arton Capital
