The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as the country with the world’s most powerful passport in 2026, according to the latest global passport rankings.
The rankings measure passport strength by the number of destinations citizens can visit without obtaining a visa in advance. Generally, the more countries passport holders can access visa-free, the higher their passport ranks.
UAE leads, Singapore and Malaysia follow
The UAE takes the top spot, with its citizens able to travel to 182 destinations without a visa.
Singapore and Malaysia share second place, with access to 175 destinations each, while Spain ranks third, offering access to 174 countries.
A group of European countries occupies fourth place, with visa-free access to 173 destinations each. They include Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Switzerland, Greece, Portugal, Austria, Croatia, Norway and Ireland. Japan also shares the position.
Malta, Slovenia, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia and South Korea rank fifth, with access to 172 destinations each.
Romania, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Lithuania share sixth place, with visa-free access to 171 destinations. Cyprus and the United Kingdom rank seventh, with access to 170 destinations each.
Canada, Liechtenstein and New Zealand occupy eighth place, with access to 169 destinations, while Iceland and Australia share ninth place, with 168 destinations each.
The United States completes the top 10, with access to 167 destinations, falling one position compared with the previous year. Despite the drop, American passport holders can still visit many major international destinations with little or no advance visa requirements.
India and Pakistan rank lower
Outside the top 10, India ranks 70th in the global passport index.
Pakistan ranks 42nd in the reported ranking, but its passport holders have access to only 13 visa-free destinations, placing it among the most travel-restricted passport holders in the index.
The wide gap between the strongest and weakest passports highlights how a person’s nationality can influence their freedom to travel internationally.
Top 10 most powerful passports in October 2026
The rankings and mobility scores reported in the index are:
- United Arab Emirates — 182 destinations
- Singapore — 175 destinations
- Malaysia — 175 destinations
- Spain — 174 destinations
- Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Denmark, Germany and Sweden — 173 destinations each
- Romania, Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Lithuania — 171 destinations each
- Cyprus and the United Kingdom — 170 destinations each
- Canada, Liechtenstein and New Zealand — 169 destinations each
- Iceland and Australia — 168 destinations each
- United States — 167 destinations
Note: The source’s ranking summary places several countries together at the same rank, so the list above reflects the reported destination scores rather than a strict ranking by individual position.