UAE retains top spot as world's strongest passport—US and UK rankings decline
For the fourth consecutive year, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has secured the top position in the "Passport Index," maintaining its status as the world’s strongest passport.
With a score of 180, the UAE passport grants its citizens access to 133 countries visa-free, 47 countries with visas on arrival, and only 18 nations requiring pre-arranged visas, offering one of the highest levels of global mobility.
Spain claimed second place with a score of 179, edging out Germany. Spanish passport holders can travel visa-free to 134 countries, access 45 countries with visas on arrival, and need pre-arranged visas for 19 countries, placing them slightly behind the UAE in terms of overall accessibility.
European nations continued to dominate the top rankings, with Finland rising to third, surpassing both France and Italy. France, with a score of 178, retained its position as the strongest passport among G20 nations.
Kosovo made the most improvement this year, gaining 35 mobility points after it entered into the Schengen Zone, which greatly boosted its ranking.
The United States and the United Kingdom on the other hand saw significant declines in their rankings. The UK, once a top 10 contender in 2017, dropped to 32nd place, losing 10 positions. The US also fell, dropping from 27th place last year to 38th, making it the weakest passport among the G7 nations. China’s passport ranked 110th.
Other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries also saw their rankings, with Qatar in 95th place, offering 76 visa-free destinations, 44 visa-on-arrival options, and 78 countries requiring pre-arranged visas. Kuwait followed closely in 96th place.
