The United Arab Emirates (UAE) passport has risen to 8th place globally in the Henley Passport Index 2025. UAE citizens now enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to 184 countries worldwide. This achievement makes the UAE the strongest passport in the Middle East and Gulf region and the only nation from the area in the global Top 10. The UAE shares the 8th spot with the United Kingdom, Croatia, Estonia, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners, said the UAE "serves as a model of effective diplomacy" and credited the rise to constant efforts in signing visa waiver agreements. Just ten years ago, the UAE passport ranked 42nd, offering visa-free access to only about 35 countries. Since then, the UAE jumped 34 places, the largest improvement recorded in the Henley Index's 20-year history. This growth is the result of focused foreign policy, including reciprocal visa waivers across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa. The expansion also benefits UAE citizens by easing travel for work, education, and healthcare. For businesses and investors, easier cross-border travel lowers costs and speeds up deals. Policymakers link this passport strength to other initiatives like the 10-year Golden Visa and advances in digital entry systems. The visa-free list covers all major continents. Highlights include the Schengen Area in Europe, the UK, major Asian hubs such as Japan and Singapore, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Latin America, and island destinations like the Maldives and Seychelles. This trend shows a shift in global travel power towards Asian and Gulf passports, pushing countries to compete in easing mobility through diplomatic visas and technology upgrades. Expect continued changes and volatility in passport rankings in the near future.