The UAE passport has topped the Arton Capital Global Passport Power Rankings for the fourth consecutive year, cementing the Emirates' position as the world's undisputed leader in travel mobility — and reflecting the nation's remarkable rise on the global diplomatic stage.
UAE Passport Leads Arton Capital's 2024 Rankings
According to the Arton Capital Global Passport Power Rankings 2024, the United Arab Emirates has once again emerged as the holder of the world's most powerful passport. The achievement marks four straight years at number one — a milestone that underscores the UAE's rapidly expanding diplomatic reach and growing international stature.
The rankings are calculated using a Mobility Score that combines visa-free access, visa-on-arrival entry, and fast-track eVisa options across 193 UN member countries and six territories, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Kosovo, and the Vatican.
What UAE Passport Holders Can Access
Emirati citizens currently enjoy exceptional global freedom of movement:
- 133 countries accessible visa-free - 47 nations offering visa-on-arrival entry - Only 18 destinations requiring pre-approved visas
UAE passport holders also benefit from Schengen visa-free travel across 26 European countries, as well as unrestricted entry across all five fellow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states.
How Other Passports Compare
European nations dominate the upper tiers of the 2024 rankings. Spain claims second place, Finland third, and France fourth. Beyond Europe, South Korea ranks 21st, Japan 25th, and New Zealand 28th.
For Dubai's large expatriate communities, the home-country rankings provide useful context: the United Kingdom places 32nd, the Philippines 66th, India 70th, and Pakistan 91st.
UAE Citizenship: A Selective Path
While holding the world's most powerful passport is a major advantage, obtaining UAE citizenship remains deliberately selective. Non-nationals may qualify through specific government-designated pathways, including:
- Investors and entrepreneurs - Medical specialists and scientists - Inventors and innovators - Intellectuals and artists - Women married to Emirati citizens - Children of UAE nationals
These pathways reflect the UAE's careful approach to naturalization — keeping its passport exclusive while continuously extending its global reach.
A Decade of Dramatic Ascent
The UAE's passport power story is one of the most remarkable in recent history. In 2014, the Emirati passport ranked just 55th globally. Over the past decade, the UAE has added 106 visa-free destinations, leaping 44 places to reach the very top of the index — the single largest climb recorded by any country over that period.
The four-year streak at number one reinforces how far the UAE has advanced as a global diplomatic and economic force, balancing open access for its citizens with one of the world's most selective immigration policies.
