08 Dec 2022; MEMO: The UAE has been ranked as the world's number one passport in terms of mobility and freedom from travel restrictions according to the recently published Passport Index by Canada-based financial advisory firm, Arton Capital.
The Emirati passport, which came first in a top-ten dominated by European countries, enables the holder to visit 180 countries hassle-free – seven more than EU member states such as Germany and Sweden. With a UAE passport, one can also visit nine more destinations than Japan's, which was rated as the world's best earlier this year in another list published by Henley & Partners.
Currently, Emirati passport holders can enter 121 countries without a visa, and get a visa on arrival in a further 59 states. They require a visa for just 19 countries, meaning they're able to access 91 per cent of the world's countries without having to apply for a visa before travelling. By contrast, US passport holders can only enter 83 per cent of countries without receiving the necessary paperwork.
"What sets the UAE passport apart in particular is its ability for holders to enter countries with a visa on arrival," Armand Arton, president and CEO of Arton Capital, told CNBC.
"Whilst the passport's power to enter countries visa free is comparable to its competitors, those with a UAE passport can enter 13 more countries with a visa on arrival than those with a German passport, the second ranked passport."
