GCC States Have Most Powerful Passports in Arab World: Index
- Publish date: Wednesday، 19 July 2023 | Last update: Tuesday، 10 December 2024
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Members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have the most powerful passports in the Arab world, according to the latest edition of the Henley Passport Index.
Out of 199 passports worldwide, the UAE's passport is the most potent in the Arab world, according to the index which is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority.
“The UAE has added an impressive 107 destinations to its visa-free score since 2013, resulting in a massive leap of 44 places in the ranking over the past 10 years from 56th to 12th position,” said Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners.
“This is almost double the next biggest climber, Colombia, which has enjoyed a jump of 28 places in the ranking to sit in 37th spot.”
Out of 227 places, 179 are visa-free for Emirati citizens.
The GCC nations that followed the UAE in the rankings were Qatar which ranked 52, Kuwait the 54th, Bahrain was at 59th, Oman was the 60th, and Saudi Arabia secured the 61st place.
According to Henley & Partners, the index “is considered the standard reference tool for global citizens and sovereign states when assessing where a passport ranks on the global mobility spectrum.”