Abu Dhabi: The passport of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is ranked on the list of the world’s top 20 most powerful passports in the first quarter of 2022, according to the Henley Passport Index.
The UAE passport ranked 15 this year and 16th in 2021 with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 173. In 2020, the UAE passport was ranked 18th.
UAE passport holders can now enter 175 destinations around the world visa-free, according to the index, which ranks the strength of 199 passports.
The Henley Passport Index ranks all passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa.
Japan and Singapore were crowned joint first on the Henley Passport Index, which assesses the travel documents based on how many countries citizens have access to without the need for a visa, using data from the International Air Transport Association.
Passport holders of the two Asian countries are able to travel visa-free to 192 destinations.
India ranks at the 90th place, toppling down by four ranks as compared to its last year’s rank, while Indian passport holders are allowed visa-free travel to just 58 nations.
In the Middle East, Qatar is ranked 53rd, followed closely by Kuwait in 54th place. Bahrain is ranked 62nd while Oman is 64th and Saudi Arabia is in 65th position.
Strongest passports in the first quarter of 2022
| Japan and Singapore |
| Germany and South Korea |
| Finland, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain |
| Austria, Denmark, France, Netherlands and Sweden |
| Ireland and Portugal |
| Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the UK and the US |
| Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Greece and Malta |
| Hungary and Poland |
| Lithuania and Slovakia |
| Estonia, Latvia and Slovenia |
Weakest passports in the first quarter of 2022
| Afghanistan |
| Iraq |
| Syria |
| Pakistan |
| Yemen |
| Somalia |
| Nepal and Palestine |
| North Korea |
| Bangladesh, Kosovo and Libya |
| Lebanon, Sri Lanka and Sudan |
