Khaberni - The UAE passport has widened the gap with its closest competitors, enabling its holder to enter countries around the world without a prior visa, according to the latest updates of the «Passport Index» by Arton Capital's global financial consulting in 2026.
According to the index - which is an interactive system specializing in ranking the strength of passports for 198 countries around the world - the number of countries granting visa-free entry to UAE passport holders has increased from 179 at the end of 2024 to 181 countries currently, categorized between 136 countries visa-free, and 45 countries where visas can be obtained electronically or upon arrival.
In contrast, the number of countries requiring UAE passport holders to obtain a visa in advance has decreased from 19 countries to only 17 countries, according to the latest update of the index which bases its rankings on the number of travel destinations that nationals of a certain country can travel to without a prior visa or obtain a visa upon arrival at the destination.
Throughout the current year, the UAE passport has maintained its position as the strongest passport in the world, enabling citizens to travel to over 91% of the world's countries, out of 198 listed in the index.
The UAE has continuously strengthened its passport through sustained diplomatic engagement, strategic visa policies, and expanding bilateral and multilateral partnerships.
Last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the signing of memorandums of understanding with several countries, granting new visa entry exemptions to citizens, including a memorandum of understanding on mutual visa exemption with the Republic of Moldova in August last year and a memorandum of understanding with Pakistan on mutual visa exemption between the two countries in June last year.
According to the «Passport Index», Singapore occupied the second position with its citizens entering 175 countries without a prior visa, followed by Spain in third place with its citizens entering 173 countries around the world without a prior visa, and in the fourth position were passports from 13 countries with entry to 172 countries without a prior visa, among them Belgium, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Austria, and Switzerland.
It is worth mentioning that the UAE passport has dominated the top position as the strongest passport in the world, since December 1, 2018, and the UAE passport returned again in 2021 to the same position, strengthening its presence in this position until today.
