Singapore has the world's most powerful passport, according to the latest Henley Passport Index.
The Asian city-state knocked Japan off the top spot after five years at the summit with Singapore citizens able to visit 192 destinations out of the world’s 227 visa-free.
And the UAE passport has gone from strength to strength, climbing three places from last year to rank as the 12th most powerful passport.
Holders of Emirati passports can now visit 179 destinations visa-free.
Over the past 10 years, the UAE passport has climbed 44 places from 56th in 2013. It now ranks alongside Cyprus.
The study, which ranks the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without obtaining a prior visa, is compiled using official data from the International Air Transport Association.
“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 Christian Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners, which compiles the data.
"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."
The most powerful passports in the world
1. Singapore (192 countries)
2. Germany, Italy, Spain (190 countries)
3. Austria, Finland, France, Japan, Luxembourg, South Korea, Sweden (189 countries)
4. Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, United Kingdom (188 countries)
5. Belgium, Czech Republic, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland (187 countries)
6. Australia, Hungary, Poland (186 countries)
7. Canada, Greece (185 countries)
8. Lithuania, United States (184 countries)
9. Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia (183 countries)
10. Estonia, Iceland (182 countries)
11. Lichtenstein, Malaysia (180 countries)
12. Cyprus, United Arab Emirates (179 countries)
The latest report puts Germany, Italy and Spain in second place, with holders able to travel to 190 destinations visa-free.
The UK has turned the table on a six-year decline, jumping two places from sixth to fourth. The US does not fare so well, plummeting a further two places to eighth. Both the UK and the US jointly held 1st place on the index in 2014.
India is also showing signs of strength, climbing to 80th, up five places from the previous list.
Overall, travel freedom is on the up for most nationalities with only eight countries in the world having less visa-free access today than they did a decade ago.
Gulf countries becoming more open
While the UAE is the only Gulf country to rank in the index's top 50, Middle Eastern destinations are becoming more open to other travellers.
The Henley Openness Index ranks countries according to the number of nationalities they permit entry to without a prior visa.
The UAE’s openness score has increased from 58 to 80 since 2018, with the Emirates ranking in 55th. Neighbouring Oman’s score has leapt 35 points, from 71 to 106 to put the sultanate 33rd, the highest in the region.
Qatar has also improved, ranking 42nd.
Other Gulf countries still lag behind for openness with Saudi Arabia in 72nd place, Bahrain in 60th and Kuwait in 68th.
“A Schengen-style visa to facilitate smoother travel between GCC countries is reportedly in the works,” said Robert Mogielnicki, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. "Such a step would require greater harmonisation of region-wide visa regulations, potentially boosting the openness rankings of several GCC countries and placing the entire region more firmly in the global spotlight."
World’s least powerful passports
At the bottom of the scale with the world's least powerful passport is Afghanistan, with holders only able to travel visa-free to 27 countries.
Iraq, Syria and Pakistan round out the bottom four nations.
The Cairo Statement
1: Commit to countering all types of terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations
2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred
3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC
4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.
5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.
6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security
Founder: Ayman Badawi
Date started: Test product September 2016, paid launch January 2017
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software
Size: Seven employees
Funding: $170,000 in angel investment
Funders: friends
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
Hili 2: Unesco World Heritage site
The site is part of the Hili archaeological park in Al Ain. Excavations there have proved the existence of the earliest known agricultural communities in modern-day UAE. Some date to the Bronze Age but Hili 2 is an Iron Age site. The Iron Age witnessed the development of the falaj, a network of channels that funnelled water from natural springs in the area. Wells allowed settlements to be established, but falaj meant they could grow and thrive. Unesco, the UN's cultural body, awarded Al Ain's sites - including Hili 2 - world heritage status in 2011. Now the most recent dig at the site has revealed even more about the skilled people that lived and worked there.
