- The UAE ranked first in the 2026 Arton Capital Passport Index with a Mobility Score of 182.
- Its score combines 138 visa-free destinations and 44 offering simplified access, including visas on arrival and electronic authorizations.
- Singapore and Malaysia scored 175, while the United States ranked tenth with 167.
The UAE passport ranked first in the 2026 Arton Capital Passport Index, with a Mobility Score of 182 destinations accessible without arranging a conventional visa in advance. The result puts the United Arab Emirates ahead of Singapore and Malaysia by seven destinations.
The score combines 138 destinations offering visa-free entry with 44 where travelers can use simplified access, including visas on arrival and electronic travel authorizations. Another 16 destinations require a visa arranged before travel.
The United Kingdom and Cyprus shared seventh place, each with a score of 170. The United States placed tenth at 167, 15 below the UAE.
The Emirates News Agency framed the result as evidence of the country’s “global standing” and the “confidence it enjoys internationally.” The ranking tracks travel access, rather than every benefit associated with holding a passport.
The UAE has held the top spot in this index since 2018. Its 2026 score is the highest figure the index has recorded.
Coverage of the ranking was published October 13, 2026, at 18:40, and appeared again October 14. Arton Capital describes the index as real-time, with scores able to shift when countries change visa exemptions or entry requirements.
The UAE leads the listed passports by seven destinations
The table shows the positions and scores reported for the leading passports. Several entries share a rank.
| Rank | Passport or passports | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Arab Emirates | 182 |
| 2 | Singapore, Malaysia | 175 |
| 3 | Spain | 174 |
| 4 | Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and other countries | 173 |
| 5 | South Korea, Poland, Hungary and others | 172 |
| 7 | United Kingdom, Cyprus | 170 |
| 8 | Canada, Liechtenstein, New Zealand | 169 |
| 9 | Australia, Iceland | 168 |
| 10 | United States | 167 |
Spain, in third place, trails the UAE by eight destinations. The listed fourth-place group includes Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Japan; South Korea, Poland and Hungary appear among the countries tied at fifth.
Canada, Liechtenstein and New Zealand share eighth place. Australia and Iceland are tied at ninth, ahead of the United States in tenth.
The score combines several kinds of entry permission
A score of 182 does not mean that travelers receive identical treatment in every destination. Visa-free entry requires no visa before travel, while visa-on-arrival access involves a process at the destination. Electronic authorizations and some qualifying electronic visas also count under Arton Capital’s rules.
The index includes electronic visas issued within three days, alongside visa-free access, visas on arrival and electronic travel authorizations. Destinations that require a conventional visa in advance do not add to the score.
That distinction explains why the 44 destinations in the UAE’s simplified-access category do not all represent the same procedure. Travelers still need to check the requirements that apply to each destination.
Henley’s July ranking uses a different yardstick
The UAE’s first place is specific to Arton Capital’s methodology. In the Henley Passport Index’s July 2026 ranking, Singapore led with access to 192 destinations, while the UAE ranked second at 188.
Henley relies on its own rules and data from the International Air Transport Association, or IATA. Arton Capital counts visa-on-arrival access, electronic travel authorizations and certain fast-issued electronic visas in addition to visa-free entry.
The rankings therefore do not present a single, universally agreed measure of passport strength. Arton Capital updates its index in real time; other indexes may publish periodic editions. Under one July measure Singapore ranked first, while in Arton Capital’s 2026 list the UAE took the lead.
The index measures travel access, not every passport benefit
The score addresses how many destinations offer qualifying entry routes. It does not rate consular protection, dual-nationality rules, economic rights, or privileges tied to residence and employment.
Nor does a high score guarantee admission. Travelers remain subject to passport-validity rules, border officers’ decisions, health requirements, entry forms and each country’s changing regulations.
A destination counted as visa-free or offering simplified access can still impose conditions on an individual traveler. The index’s total is a comparison of entry arrangements, not a promise that every passport holder will be admitted.
Global travel access has also weakened
Arton Capital’s World Openness Score, its measure of overall global travel accessibility, fell to its lowest level since 2023. That broader measure declined even as the UAE retained the top position in the passport ranking.
The two scores describe different things: one follows a passport’s access to destinations, while the other tracks broader travel openness. The ranking puts the UAE at the top of its own measure, against a backdrop of reduced global accessibility.
