UAE Passport Tops the 2026 Passport Index
The UAE passport is ranked first in Arton Capital’s 2026 Passport Index, with a mobility score of 182, the highest score recorded on the index. It holds that position because Emirati citizens can reach most of the world without a prior visa.
The numbers
| Access type | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Visa-free | 138 |
| Visa on arrival | 44 |
| Visa required in advance | 16 |
| Mobility score | 182 |
How the ranking works
The mobility score counts destinations a passport holder can enter without a prior visa, including visa-free entry, visa on arrival and, where applicable, electronic travel authorisations, compiled from official government sources. Tied passports share a rank.
Not every index agrees
“World’s strongest” depends on the index. Different indexes use different data and methods, and the Henley Passport Index ranks the UAE passport joint second, on 188 destinations alongside Japan and South Korea, behind Singapore. Check which index a headline refers to before comparing.
What it means in practice
A high score eases business, tourism and study travel for Emirati citizens, but entry rules still apply at the border, including passport validity and return tickets. Rules also change, as with the planned European travel authorisation covered in our ETIAS update. UAE residents who are not citizens travel on their own passports and face different rules, so look up requirements for your nationality.
For the latest October update and a top-ten table, see UAE passport ranking 2026.
