The UAE and Kuwaiti Passports are at the Forefront of the Arab Countries

  • Gulf Arab countries
  • 8 January 2021
1

The Kuwaiti passport ranks two places to 55th in the world on the "Henley" index of the most powerful passports, in terms of freedom of movement and the number of destinations that the passport holder can go to without a prior visa. The number of destinations that a Kuwaiti passport holder can travel to without a prior visa has increased to about 96 in 2021, after it was 95 destinations in 2020, maintaining its second position in the Gulf and Arab countries after the UAE passport.

According to the index, the UAE signed several reciprocal visa-exemption agreements last year, thus advancing from 18th to 16th place globally during 2021 and increasing the number of destinations that are allowed to travel to 173 destinations around the world from pre-visa countries, this is considered an astonishing rise, according to the description of the index, on its position since it began tracking countries in 2006, when the UAE ranked 62nd with access to only 35 destinations.

The Qatari passport came in the 56th position globally, ahead of two places to allow its holder to travel to 95 destinations around the world without a visa, followed by the Bahraini passport, which came in the 64th position in 83 countries, and after it the Omani passport with about 80 destinations, then the Saudi passport in the 66th place in the world in 79 countries. The Tunisian passport ranked 74th in the world with 71 countries, then Algeria and Jordan shared the 92nd position with 51 destinations, then Egypt ranked 95th with 50 countries, then Lebanon ranked 102nd with 40 countries.

Globally, Japan topped the list once again, offering its passport holders visa-free or visa-free entry upon arrival at 191 destinations around the world, followed by Singapore in second place, with 190 destinations, and South Korea shares with Germany in third place with 189 destinations.

Finland, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain shared fourth place with 188 countries, followed by Denmark and Austria in fourth place with 187 destinations, and Sweden, France, Portugal, Netherlands and Ireland ranked sixth with 186. Switzerland, the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, Belgium and New Zealand were ranked seventh, with visa-free access to 185 destinations, while Greece, Malta, the Czech Republic and Australia ranked eighth, with access to 184 countries.

On the other hand, as the worst passports in the world, which gives holders access to less than 40 countries without a visa or visa on arrival, it includes North Korea (39 destinations), Libya and Nepal (38), Somalia and Yemen (33), and Pakistan (32) Syria (29), Iraq (28), and Afghanistan (26).

Source (Al-Rai Kuwaiti newspaper, Edited)