United Arab Emirates passport power
Asia · PassRank 169 · ranked 1st of 199
The United Arab Emirates passport has a PassRank score of 169 in 2026, placing it 1st of 199 worldwide and making it one of the strongest passport. Holders can enter 127 destinations visa-free, 34 with a visa on arrival and 8 via an eTA — that is 169 of 199 destinations with no visa needed in advance. A further 18 require an e-visa and 11 require a standard visa before travel.
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
United Arab Emirates passport at a glance
| Access type | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Visa-free | 127 |
| Visa on arrival | 34 |
| eTA / ETA | 8 |
| PassRank score (no visa needed in advance) | 169 |
| e-Visa | 18 |
| Visa required | 11 |
| No admission | 0 |
Source: Passport Index dataset (imorte/passport-index-data). Data as of June 2026.
PassRank score = visa-free + visa on arrival + eTA = 169. Snapshot 17 February 2026. Counts exclude the United Arab Emirates itself. See how this is calculated.
Visa-free destinations (127)
Countries and territories the United Arab Emirates passport can enter visa-free (days shown where the dataset records a limit):
| Destination | Max stay |
|---|---|
| Albania | 90 days |
| Andorra | 90 days |
| Angola | 30 days |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 90 days |
| Argentina | 90 days |
| Armenia | 180 days |
| Austria | 90 days |
| Azerbaijan | 90 days |
| Bahamas | 90 days |
| Bahrain | — |
| Barbados | 90 days |
| Belarus | 90 days |
| Belgium | 90 days |
| Bolivia | 90 days |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 90 days |
| Botswana | 90 days |
| Brazil | 90 days |
| Brunei | 30 days |
| Bulgaria | 90 days |
| Burkina Faso | — |
| Chad | 90 days |
| Chile | 90 days |
| China | 30 days |
| Colombia | 90 days |
| Costa Rica | 180 days |
| Croatia | 90 days |
| Cuba | 90 days |
| Cyprus | 90 days |
| Czech Republic | 90 days |
| Denmark | 90 days |
| Dominica | 180 days |
| Dominican Republic | 30 days |
| Ecuador | 90 days |
| Egypt | 180 days |
| El Salvador | 180 days |
| Equatorial Guinea | 90 days |
| Estonia | 90 days |
| Fiji | 120 days |
| Finland | 90 days |
| France | 90 days |
| Gambia | 90 days |
| Georgia | 90 days |
| Germany | 90 days |
| Greece | 90 days |
| Grenada | 90 days |
| Guatemala | 90 days |
| Guyana | 90 days |
| Haiti | 90 days |
| Honduras | 90 days |
| Hong Kong | 30 days |
| Hungary | 90 days |
| Iceland | 90 days |
| Iran | 15 days |
| Ireland | 90 days |
| Italy | 90 days |
| Japan | 90 days |
| Jordan | 90 days |
| Kazakhstan | 30 days |
| Kiribati | 90 days |
| Kosovo | 90 days |
| Kuwait | — |
| Kyrgyzstan | 60 days |
| Latvia | 90 days |
| Lebanon | 180 days |
| Liechtenstein | 90 days |
| Lithuania | 90 days |
| Luxembourg | 90 days |
| Macao | 30 days |
| Malaysia | 90 days |
| Mali | 90 days |
| Malta | 90 days |
| Mauritius | 90 days |
| Mexico | 180 days |
| Micronesia | 30 days |
| Moldova | 90 days |
| Monaco | 90 days |
| Mongolia | 30 days |
| Montenegro | 90 days |
| Morocco | 90 days |
| Mozambique | 30 days |
| Nauru | — |
| Netherlands | 90 days |
| Nicaragua | 90 days |
| North Macedonia | 90 days |
| Norway | 90 days |
| Oman | — |
| Pakistan | 90 days |
| Palestine | — |
| Panama | 90 days |
| Paraguay | 90 days |
| Peru | 90 days |
| Philippines | 30 days |
| Poland | 90 days |
| Portugal | 90 days |
| Qatar | — |
| Romania | 90 days |
| Russia | 90 days |
| Saint Lucia | 60 days |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 90 days |
| San Marino | 90 days |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 15 days |
| Saudi Arabia | — |
| Senegal | 90 days |
| Serbia | 90 days |
| Seychelles | 90 days |
| Singapore | 30 days |
| Slovakia | 90 days |
| Slovenia | 90 days |
| Solomon Islands | 90 days |
| South Africa | 90 days |
| South Korea | 90 days |
| Spain | 90 days |
| Sudan | — |
| Swaziland | 30 days |
| Sweden | 90 days |
| Switzerland | 90 days |
| Tajikistan | 30 days |
| Thailand | 60 days |
| Tonga | 60 days |
| Tunisia | 90 days |
| Turkey | 90 days |
| Ukraine | 90 days |
| Uruguay | 90 days |
| Uzbekistan | 30 days |
| Vanuatu | 120 days |
| Vatican | 90 days |
| Zambia | 90 days |
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
Visa on arrival (34)
Destinations that issue the United Arab Emirates passport a visa on arrival (effectively visa-free, paid at the border):
| Destination | Max stay |
|---|---|
| Bangladesh | — |
| Burundi | — |
| Cambodia | — |
| Cape Verde | — |
| Central African Republic | — |
| Comoros | — |
| Congo | — |
| Djibouti | — |
| Ethiopia | — |
| Ghana | — |
| Guinea | — |
| Guinea-Bissau | — |
| India | — |
| Indonesia | — |
| Iraq | — |
| Jamaica | — |
| Laos | — |
| Madagascar | — |
| Maldives | — |
| Marshall Islands | — |
| Namibia | — |
| Nepal | — |
| Palau | — |
| Rwanda | — |
| Samoa | — |
| Sierra Leone | — |
| Sri Lanka | — |
| Syria | — |
| Tanzania | — |
| Timor-Leste | — |
| Trinidad and Tobago | — |
| Tuvalu | — |
| Yemen | — |
| Zimbabwe | — |
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
Electronic travel authorisation / eTA (8)
Destinations requiring only an online eTA (e.g. ESTA, eTA, eVisitor) for the United Arab Emirates passport — quick to obtain and counted toward the PassRank score:
| Destination | Max stay |
|---|---|
| Canada | — |
| Israel | — |
| Ivory Coast | — |
| Kenya | — |
| New Zealand | — |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | — |
| Suriname | — |
| United Kingdom | — |
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
e-Visa required (18)
Destinations that require an e-visa obtained before travel (not counted in the PassRank score):
| Destination | Max stay |
|---|---|
| Australia | — |
| Benin | — |
| Bhutan | — |
| Cameroon | — |
| DR Congo | — |
| Gabon | — |
| Liberia | — |
| Libya | — |
| Malawi | — |
| Mauritania | — |
| Nigeria | — |
| Papua New Guinea | — |
| Somalia | — |
| South Sudan | — |
| Taiwan | — |
| Togo | — |
| Uganda | — |
| Vietnam | — |
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
Visa required in advance (11)
Destinations where United Arab Emirates passport holders must obtain a standard visa before travelling:
| Destination | Max stay |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | — |
| Algeria | — |
| Belize | — |
| Eritrea | — |
| Lesotho | — |
| Myanmar | — |
| Niger | — |
| North Korea | — |
| Turkmenistan | — |
| United States | — |
| Venezuela | — |
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many countries can United Arab Emirates passport holders visit visa-free?
The United Arab Emirates passport has a PassRank score of 169, meaning holders can enter 169 of 199 destinations without arranging a visa in advance: 127 visa-free, 34 with a visa on arrival and 8 via an eTA. A further 18 require an e-visa and 11 require a standard visa. Snapshot 17 February 2026.
What is the United Arab Emirates passport's rank in 2026?
The United Arab Emirates passport ranks 1st out of 199 on the PassRank index in 2026, with a score of 169. PassRank counts destinations reachable visa-free, on arrival or via eTA; it is our own methodology and may differ from commercial indices.
Does United Arab Emirates need a visa for the United States?
United Arab Emirates passport holders need a visa for the United States in advance, per the snapshot. Verify the current requirement with the official US source.
How is the United Arab Emirates PassRank score calculated?
We count every destination the United Arab Emirates passport can enter with no visa required before travel: visa-free (127), visa on arrival (34) and eTA/ETA (8). e-Visas are excluded because they must be obtained in advance. The data is a dated snapshot from the open passport-index dataset (passportindex.org). See the methodology page for details.
Compare with similar passports
- Singapore — PassRank 163 (2nd) · compare United Arab Emirates vs Singapore
- South Korea — PassRank 163 (2nd) · compare United Arab Emirates vs South Korea
- Japan — PassRank 162 (4th) · compare United Arab Emirates vs Japan
- Spain — PassRank 161 (5th) · compare United Arab Emirates vs Spain
- Belgium — PassRank 160 (6th) · compare United Arab Emirates vs Belgium
- Denmark — PassRank 160 (6th) · compare United Arab Emirates vs Denmark
See the full ranking, the Asia ranking, or all head-to-head comparisons.
Source & accuracy
Access data is a dated snapshot from the open passport-index dataset (MIT packaging; data from passportindex.org), captured 17 February 2026. The PassRank score is our own transparent count and may differ from commercial indices. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice — visa rules change frequently; always verify the current requirement with the destination's official government source before booking travel. PassRank is not affiliated with Passport Index or Henley & Partners.
Last updated: 2026-06-21