The UAE passport has been named most powerful in the world, according to the latest Passport Index compiled by Arton Capital. Beginning of October, the UAE passport has climbed four places to top the rankings with a score of 152.

The UAE beat New Zealand (146) that stood at second place, with Germany, Finland, Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland, South Korea, Australia all tied for third place with 144 score.

As the UAE has opened to the world with Expo 2020 Dubai, the Passport Index revealed there is an increase of 14.8 percent in the World Openness Score (WOS) at Q4 starting since the beginning of the year.

The average global mobility score across all 199 countries has been measured as 89, according to total of visa-free or visa-on-arrival access provided. Arton Capital said the Covid-19 pandemic continues to impact travel and mobility, adding that it is proof how countries around the world have managed to lead in opening after the pandemic.

In the GCC, the UAE is biggest climber across Q3, after moving up four places to stand at number one spot. Over the last quarter, other GCC nations remain in similar rankings - Bahrain down seven places to 52nd (80), Kuwait down eight to 50th (85), Oman down seven to 56 (75), Qatar down seven to 47 (91) and Saudi Arabia down five in 55th place (76). On the other hand European passports continue to lead in rankings, Australia and South Korea both have improved their mobility score in Q4. The UK, Canada, the US (142) and Singapore (141) are the only other non-European passports who made it to the Passport Index’s top 10.

Armand Arton, president of Arton Capital, said: “To start Q4 with a 14.8 percent increase in global mobility shows that the world is thankfully opening up once more, and on an encouragingly positive trajectory. We do note, however, that we are still only back to mobility levels first achieved six years ago, so the aftermath of the global shutdown is still very much in play."

Top 10 passports:

· United Arab Emirates (152)

· New Zealand (146)

· Germany, Finland, Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, South Korea, Australia (144)

· Sweden, The Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Portugal, Rep. of Ireland (143)

· France, Malta, Czech Republic, Greece, Poland, Hungary, UK, Canada, US (142)

· Singapore, Norway, Slovenia, Slovakia, Japan (141)

· Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Iceland (140)

· Liechtenstein (139)

· Croatia (137)

· Romania, Bulgaria, Monaco (136)

10 weakest passports:

· South Sudan, Libya, Sudan (45)

· Ethiopia, North Korea (44)

· Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal (43)

· Iran, Eritrea (42)

· Palestinian Territories, Myanmar (Burma) (41)

· Yemen (38)

· Somalia, Pakistan (37)

· Syria (34)

· Iraq (33)

· Afghanistan (32)