It’s not or British or American. The United Arab Emirates’ passport is now the world’s most powerful, according to CEOWORLD magazine’s Global Passport Ranking for 2022. This was followed by FINLAND, ITALY, GERMANY, SWEDEN, DENMARK, AUSTRIA, LUXEMBOURG, SWITZERLAND, and SOUTH KOREA. The United Arab Emirates passport was deemed ‘world’s most powerful for 2022. The UAE passport holders can now enter 160 destinations around the world visa-free, according to the index, which ranks the strength of 199 passports.
Even though the United States is further down the ranking, the American passport still yields considerable power. U.S. passport holders can travel to 149 countries without major restrictions. And the worst?
Afghanistan finished the bottom of the Global Passport Ranking, with just 34 countries granting Afghans entry without obtaining an advance visa, according to the research findings. Passports have different colours, designs and shades but there is a lot more to a passport than that. Not all passports have the same power around the world. Every passport has a different status. Some passports afford their bearers more freedom than others.
So powerful passports mean that the countries are ranked in one order and they accept visa-free or visa on arrival. Let’s now get a quick look at some of the most powerful passports in the world:
These are the world’s most and least powerful passports, 2022
RANK | COUNTRY | MOBILITY SCORE | VISA-FREE + eTA | VISA ON ARRIVAL | VISA REQUIRED |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | UNITED ARAB EMIRATES | 160 | 105 | 55 | 38 |
2 | FINLAND | 153 | 112 | 41 | 45 |
3 | ITALY | 153 | 112 | 41 | 45 |
4 | GERMANY | 152 | 113 | 40 | 46 |
5 | SWEDEN | 152 | 112 | 40 | 46 |
6 | DENMARK | 152 | 112 | 40 | 46 |
7 | AUSTRIA | 152 | 111 | 41 | 46 |
8 | LUXEMBOURG | 152 | 111 | 41 | 46 |
9 | SWITZERLAND | 152 | 108 | 44 | 46 |
10 | SOUTH KOREA | 152 | 107 | 45 | 46 |
11 | NEW ZEALAND | 152 | 102 | 50 | 46 |
12 | NETHERLANDS | 151 | 111 | 40 | 47 |
13 | BELGIUM | 151 | 111 | 40 | 47 |
14 | PORTUGAL | 151 | 111 | 40 | 47 |
15 | SPAIN | 151 | 110 | 41 | 47 |
16 | AUSTRALIA | 151 | 101 | 50 | 47 |
17 | FRANCE | 150 | 111 | 39 | 48 |
18 | CZECH REPUBLIC | 150 | 109 | 41 | 48 |
19 | MALTA | 150 | 109 | 41 | 48 |
20 | NORWAY | 150 | 108 | 42 | 48 |
21 | POLAND | 150 | 108 | 42 | 48 |
22 | HUNGARY | 150 | 108 | 42 | 48 |
23 | GREECE | 149 | 108 | 41 | 49 |
24 | SLOVAKIA | 149 | 106 | 43 | 49 |
25 | IRELAND | 149 | 105 | 44 | 49 |
26 | UNITED KINGDOM | 149 | 105 | 44 | 49 |
27 | UNITED STATES | 149 | 103 | 46 | 49 |
28 | ESTONIA | 148 | 107 | 41 | 50 |
29 | LITHUANIA | 148 | 107 | 41 | 50 |
30 | LATVIA | 148 | 107 | 41 | 50 |
31 | ICELAND | 148 | 106 | 42 | 50 |
32 | SLOVENIA | 148 | 106 | 42 | 50 |
33 | CANADA | 148 | 104 | 44 | 50 |
34 | LIECHTENSTEIN | 147 | 104 | 43 | 51 |
35 | JAPAN | 147 | 104 | 43 | 51 |
36 | CROATIA | 146 | 104 | 41 | 52 |
37 | SINGAPORE | 145 | 105 | 33 | 53 |
38 | CYPRUS | 145 | 112 | 38 | 53 |
39 | ROMANIA | 145 | 107 | 42 | 53 |
40 | BULGARIA | 144 | 103 | 43 | 54 |
41 | MONACO | 144 | 101 | 44 | 54 |
42 | CHILE | 138 | 100 | 44 | 60 |
43 | ARGENTINA | 138 | 94 | 44 | 60 |
44 | SAN MARINO | 137 | 97 | 40 | 61 |
45 | ANDORRA | 136 | 90 | 46 | 62 |
46 | HONG KONG | 133 | 101 | 32 | 65 |
47 | MALAYSIA | 133 | 93 | 40 | 65 |
48 | ISRAEL | 131 | 93 | 38 | 67 |
49 | BRAZIL | 131 | 88 | 43 | 67 |
50 | VATICAN CITY | 129 | 88 | 41 | 69 |
51 | URUGUAY | 127 | 84 | 43 | 71 |
52 | UKRAINE | 127 | 82 | 45 | 71 |
53 | MEXICO | 126 | 80 | 46 | 72 |
54 | BARBADOS | 123 | 89 | 34 | 75 |
55 | BRUNEI | 123 | 80 | 45 | 75 |
56 | PERU | 123 | 78 | 36 | 75 |
57 | BAHAMAS | 119 | 83 | 36 | 79 |
58 | MACAO | 119 | 81 | 38 | 79 |
59 | TAIWAN | 118 | 72 | 46 | 80 |
60 | SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS | 117 | 83 | 34 | 81 |
61 | COLOMBIA | 117 | 75 | 42 | 81 |
62 | PANAMA | 116 | 74 | 42 | 82 |
63 | COSTA RICA | 116 | 73 | 43 | 82 |
64 | ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA | 115 | 80 | 35 | 83 |
65 | SERBIA | 115 | 73 | 42 | 83 |
66 | SEYCHELLES | 113 | 81 | 32 | 85 |
67 | ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES | 113 | 80 | 33 | 85 |
68 | TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO | 112 | 78 | 34 | 86 |
69 | NORTH MACEDONIA | 112 | 68 | 44 | 86 |
70 | PARAGUAY | 111 | 65 | 46 | 87 |
71 | EL SALVADOR | 109 | 68 | 41 | 89 |
72 | GEORGIA | 109 | 65 | 44 | 89 |
73 | MAURITIUS | 108 | 76 | 32 | 90 |
74 | GRENADA | 108 | 74 | 34 | 90 |
75 | RUSSIA | 108 | 69 | 39 | 90 |
76 | MONTENEGRO | 108 | 63 | 45 | 90 |
77 | SAINT LUCIA | 107 | 72 | 35 | 91 |
78 | VENEZUELA | 107 | 60 | 47 | 91 |
79 | MOLDOVA | 106 | 63 | 43 | 92 |
80 | DOMINICA | 105 | 70 | 35 | 93 |
81 | VANUATU | 105 | 67 | 38 | 93 |
82 | TURKEY | 105 | 62 | 43 | 93 |
83 | SOLOMON ISLANDS | 103 | 66 | 37 | 95 |
84 | HONDURAS | 102 | 61 | 41 | 96 |
85 | ALBANIA | 102 | 60 | 42 | 96 |
86 | TONGA | 101 | 63 | 38 | 97 |
87 | SAMOA | 101 | 62 | 39 | 97 |
88 | TUVALU | 99 | 63 | 36 | 99 |
89 | GUATEMALA | 99 | 58 | 41 | 99 |
90 | NICARAGUA | 99 | 56 | 43 | 99 |
91 | BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA | 97 | 56 | 41 | 101 |
92 | KIRIBATI | 96 | 58 | 38 | 102 |
93 | MARSHALL ISLANDS | 94 | 53 | 41 | 104 |
94 | QATAR | 93 | 54 | 39 | 105 |
95 | SOUTH AFRICA | 91 | 54 | 37 | 107 |
96 | MICRONESIA | 90 | 49 | 41 | 108 |
97 | PALAU | 89 | 46 | 43 | 109 |
98 | KUWAIT | 87 | 46 | 41 | 111 |
99 | ECUADOR | 86 | 41 | 45 | 112 |
100 | BELIZE | 85 | 53 | 32 | 113 |
101 | JAMAICA | 83 | 48 | 35 | 115 |
102 | MALDIVES | 81 | 43 | 38 | 117 |
103 | FIJI | 81 | 42 | 39 | 117 |
104 | GUYANA | 81 | 40 | 41 | 117 |
105 | BELARUS | 81 | 38 | 43 | 117 |
106 | BAHRAIN | 80 | 38 | 42 | 118 |
107 | TIMOR-LESTE | 79 | 39 | 40 | 119 |
108 | KAZAKHSTAN | 79 | 33 | 46 | 119 |
109 | SAUDI ARABIA | 77 | 36 | 41 | 121 |
110 | OMAN | 77 | 32 | 45 | 121 |
111 | BOLIVIA | 76 | 32 | 44 | 122 |
112 | NAURU | 74 | 35 | 39 | 124 |
113 | SURINAME | 73 | 29 | 44 | 125 |
114 | BOTSWANA | 72 | 40 | 32 | 126 |
115 | AZERBAIJAN | 72 | 30 | 42 | 126 |
116 | THAILAND | 72 | 25 | 47 | 126 |
117 | PAPUA NEW GUINEA | 71 | 30 | 41 | 127 |
118 | ARMENIA | 71 | 30 | 41 | 127 |
119 | LESOTHO | 70 | 37 | 33 | 128 |
120 | INDONESIA | 70 | 29 | 41 | 128 |
121 | CHINA | 70 | 26 | 44 | 128 |
122 | MALAWI | 69 | 36 | 33 | 129 |
123 | TUNISIA | 69 | 30 | 39 | 129 |
124 | DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | 69 | 25 | 44 | 129 |
125 | CUBA | 68 | 28 | 40 | 130 |
126 | ESWATINI | 66 | 36 | 30 | 132 |
127 | TANZANIA | 66 | 35 | 31 | 132 |
128 | NAMIBIA | 66 | 33 | 33 | 132 |
129 | KENYA | 65 | 32 | 33 | 133 |
130 | ZAMBIA | 65 | 32 | 33 | 133 |
131 | MOROCCO | 64 | 27 | 37 | 134 |
132 | KYRGYZSTAN | 64 | 23 | 41 | 134 |
133 | GAMBIA | 63 | 37 | 26 | 135 |
134 | CAPE VERDE | 63 | 29 | 34 | 135 |
135 | MONGOLIA | 63 | 23 | 40 | 135 |
136 | UZBEKISTAN | 63 | 22 | 41 | 135 |
137 | SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE | 63 | 20 | 43 | 135 |
138 | GHANA | 62 | 33 | 29 | 136 |
139 | RWANDA | 62 | 24 | 38 | 136 |
140 | UGANDA | 61 | 28 | 33 | 137 |
141 | TAJIKISTAN | 61 | 21 | 40 | 137 |
142 | SIERRA LEONE | 60 | 35 | 25 | 138 |
143 | ZIMBABWE | 60 | 30 | 30 | 139 |
144 | SENEGAL | 59 | 27 | 32 | 139 |
145 | BURKINA FASO | 59 | 26 | 33 | 139 |
146 | PHILIPPINES | 59 | 22 | 37 | 140 |
147 | BENIN | 58 | 25 | 33 | 140 |
148 | INDIA | 58 | 20 | 38 | 140 |
149 | JORDAN | 58 | 18 | 40 | 141 |
150 | COTE D IVOIRE (IVORY COAST) | 57 | 23 | 34 | 141 |
151 | MADAGASCAR | 57 | 20 | 37 | 141 |
152 | MOZAMBIQUE | 57 | 20 | 37 | 141 |
153 | GABON | 57 | 18 | 39 | 141 |
154 | ALGERIA | 57 | 16 | 41 | 141 |
155 | BHUTAN | 57 | 13 | 44 | 141 |
156 | TURKMENISTAN | 56 | 14 | 42 | 143 |
157 | NIGER | 55 | 25 | 30 | 143 |
158 | MAURITANIA | 55 | 21 | 34 | 143 |
159 | EQUATORIAL GUINEA | 55 | 15 | 40 | 144 |
160 | GUINEA BISSAU | 54 | 22 | 32 | 144 |
161 | GUINEA | 54 | 22 | 32 | 144 |
162 | ANGOLA | 54 | 20 | 34 | 144 |
163 | TOGO | 54 | 20 | 34 | 144 |
164 | EGYPT | 54 | 14 | 40 | 144 |
165 | CAMBODIA | 54 | 11 | 43 | 144 |
166 | MALI | 53 | 25 | 28 | 145 |
167 | BURUNDI | 53 | 16 | 37 | 145 |
168 | COMOROS | 53 | 13 | 40 | 145 |
169 | VIETNAM | 53 | 12 | 41 | 147 |
170 | LIBERIA | 51 | 21 | 30 | 147 |
171 | CHAD | 51 | 17 | 34 | 147 |
172 | CAMEROON | 51 | 14 | 37 | 147 |
173 | HAITI | 51 | 10 | 41 | 147 |
174 | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC | 50 | 14 | 36 | 148 |
175 | LEBANON | 50 | 12 | 38 | 148 |
176 | DJIBOUTI | 50 | 11 | 39 | 148 |
177 | KOSOVO | 49 | 14 | 35 | 149 |
178 | LAOS | 49 | 11 | 38 | 149 |
179 | NIGERIA | 48 | 20 | 28 | 150 |
180 | CONGO (DEM. REP.) | 47 | 12 | 35 | 151 |
181 | CONGO | 47 | 11 | 36 | 151 |
182 | SOUTH SUDAN | 46 | 13 | 33 | 152 |
183 | LIBYA | 46 | 11 | 35 | 152 |
184 | ETHIOPIA | 46 | 10 | 36 | 152 |
185 | SUDAN | 46 | 9 | 37 | 152 |
186 | BANGLADESH | 45 | 15 | 30 | 153 |
187 | SRI LANKA | 45 | 11 | 34 | 153 |
188 | NEPAL | 44 | 9 | 35 | 154 |
189 | ERITREA | 44 | 8 | 36 | 154 |
190 | NORTH KOREA | 44 | 8 | 36 | 154 |
191 | PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES | 43 | 10 | 33 | 155 |
192 | IRAN | 43 | 8 | 35 | 155 |
193 | MYANMAR [BURMA] | 43 | 6 | 37 | 155 |
194 | YEMEN | 39 | 8 | 31 | 159 |
195 | SOMALIA | 38 | 8 | 30 | 160 |
196 | PAKISTAN | 38 | 6 | 32 | 160 |
197 | SYRIA | 35 | 5 | 30 | 163 |
198 | IRAQ | 34 | 4 | 30 | 164 |
199 | AFGHANISTAN | 34 | 4 | 30 | 164 |