The UAE passport has retained its position as the most powerful passport in the world, according to the latest Passport Index by Arton Capital. The passport reached a record score of 182, the highest ever recorded in the index. This keeps the UAE in first place globally, a position it has held since 2018.
The ranking highlights the UAE’s continued strength in global mobility, even as many countries face tighter travel rules, stricter visa systems and lower levels of global openness.
Emiratis Can Access 182 Destinations
According to the Passport Index, Emirati citizens now have access to 182 destinations. This includes 127 destinations that can be entered without a visa, 45 destinations offering visa on arrival, and 10 destinations available through electronic travel authorisation.
Only 16 destinations still require UAE passport holders to obtain a visa in advance. The passport now has a global reach of 91 per cent, underlining the scale of travel access available to Emirati citizens.
UAE Among Few Non-European Passports in Top 20
European countries continue to dominate the top 20 positions in the Passport Index. However, the UAE stands out as one of only three non-European passports in the top 20, alongside Singapore and Malaysia.
Singapore retained second place with a score of 175, while Malaysia remained in the top tier at 17th place. Arton Capital said the UAE’s performance shows its growing importance on the global stage at a time when many passports are seeing little improvement or even declines in mobility.
Armand Arton: UAE Remains Globally Relevant
Armand Arton, CEO of Arton Capital and co-founder of the Passport Index, said the UAE’s record score marks a major year for the ranking. He said that despite ongoing geopolitical tensions, the UAE remains highly relevant internationally and continues to show resilience in global mobility.
His comments reflect the broader position of the UAE as a country that has expanded diplomatic relations, strengthened international partnerships and improved travel access for its citizens over the past decade.
UAE Passport Rose Rapidly After 2017 Initiative
The UAE’s rise in passport power followed the launch of the UAE Passport Force Initiative by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2017. At the time, the goal was to place the UAE passport among the top five passports in the world by 2021.
Since then, the passport has climbed sharply. According to Arton Capital, the UAE passport moved from 88th place globally to the top position in less than a decade. A major milestone came in 2015, when Emirati citizens were granted visa-free travel to Schengen countries. The UAE became the first Arab country whose citizens could enter 34 European countries without a visa.
Global Openness Falls in 2026
While the UAE passport reached a record high, the wider global travel environment became more restrictive. The World Openness Score, which measures global accessibility in real time, fell again in 2026 and reached its lowest level since 2023.
Arton Capital linked the decline to the growing digitalisation of border systems and tighter visa restrictions based on nationality and high-skilled migration categories. In 2025, 24 countries improved their mobility scores. In 2026, only 11 countries recorded an increase, showing a broader slowdown in global travel openness.
Some Major Countries Become Less Welcoming
The Passport Index’s Welcoming Countries ranking also showed notable changes. Countries such as Australia, the United States, Canada and New Zealand moved lower in the ranking as visa rules tightened, border systems changed and passport bans expanded.
The United Kingdom, however, rose two places in the same ranking, even after activating mandatory electronic travel authorisations. Arton Capital also noted a broader decline among European countries in the Welcoming Countries ranking, linked partly to the adoption of ETIAS by 30 European countries.
European Passports Still Dominate the Top Rankings
European passports continued to occupy most of the strongest positions in the individual passport rankings. Countries such as Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, France and Denmark remained among the world’s most powerful passports. Luxembourg made a notable jump from 10th to 5th place with a score of 174, pushing Finland out of the top 10 compared with its 2025 position. Meanwhile, some major Asian passports lost ground. South Korea and Japan both dropped four places, with South Korea falling out of the top 20 in 2026.
Passport Power Becoming More Important
Armand Arton warned that differences in passport strength may become even more visible in the coming years. He said 2027 could bring greater gaps in passport power due to global instability, tighter restrictions and lower world openness. As international mobility becomes increasingly important for business, education, investment and lifestyle, a strong passport is becoming more than a travel document. It is becoming a major advantage in global access and opportunity. For the UAE, the latest ranking confirms its continued leadership in passport mobility and its strong position in an increasingly divided global travel landscape.