For the fourth year in a row, the UAE passport has been ranked the world’s strongest, according to the “Passport Index,” Emirates 24/7 reported. With a top score of 180, Emirati citizens can now access over 90% of the world’s nations with ease.

Out of 198 countries, UAE passport holders can travel to 133 countries without a visa, obtain visas on arrival in 47 nations, and require pre-arranged visas for only 18 destinations.

Spain secured second place with a score of 179, narrowly trailing the UAE. Spanish citizens can travel visa-free to 134 countries, get visas on arrival in 45, and need pre-arranged visas for 19. Despite its strong performance, Spain remained slightly less accessible overall compared to the UAE.

European countries continued to dominate the top rankings, holding the first 18 positions. Finland climbed ahead of France and Italy to take third place, while France maintained its position as the strongest passport among G20 nations with a score of 178.

Kosovo made the most notable improvement this year, gaining 35 mobility points. This leap was largely attributed to its entry into the Schengen Zone earlier in 2024.

In contrast, the United States and the United Kingdom saw their rankings drop significantly. The UK, which was in the top 10 in 2017, slipped to 32nd place after losing 10 spots. The US passport also fell, landing at 38th, making it the weakest passport among G7 nations. Meanwhile, China ranked far lower at 110th.
Among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, Qatar ranked 95th, followed by Kuwait in 96th and Saudi Arabia in 100th place.