For the third year in a row, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) passport topped the list of the most powerful passports in the world, while India has ranked 69.
That’s according to a Passport Index published by Arton Capital that features a top-ten dominated by European countries.
According to the index, through the UAE passport, travellers can enter 180 countries hassle-free — 121 countries visa free with a visa on arrival facility for 59 countries. They only require visa for 89 countries.
Throughout the pandemic, the UAE has stayed far away from the large-scale lockdowns seen around the world, and instead relied on strict mandates for masks and vaccinations.
The smart government’s handling of the pandemic has attracted visitors from around the world looking to escape restrictions in their home countries.
“Global mobility is increasing rapidly, despite the outbreak of conflict in Europe and rising tensions at borders,” Arton said in a statement.
“Although the world is still feeling the aftermath of the pandemic, it’s surprising that travel has never been easier, with passport power growing exponentially across the board, a trend we expect to continue into 2023,” Arton added.
Arton noted that the passports of almost every country around the world have become more robust this year, with countries keen to maximize the economic benefits they provide by enabling greater freedom of movement.
Meanwhile, Indians with a rating of 69 can travel visa-free to only 24 countries, and require visa on arrival for the other 48 countries and visa for 126 countries. India shares the same ranking with countries like Gambia, Ghana, Uzbekistan, and Tanzania.
Top ten most powerful passports in the world
| Passport | Rank | Country access score |
| UAE | 1 | 180 |
| Germany, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and South Korea | 2 | 173 |
| Denmark, Belgium, Portugal, Norway, Poland, Ireland, USA and New Zealand | 3 | 172 |
| Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Japan, United Kingdom and Australia | 4 | 171 |
| Singapore, Malta, Lithuania, Slovakia, and Canada | 5 | 170 |
| Estonia, Latvia, and Slovenia | 6 | 169 |
| Iceland and Liechtenstein | 7 | 168 |
| Cyprus, Croatia and Romania | 8 | 167 |
| Malaysia | 9 | 165 |
| Monaco | 10 | 163 |
