travel

World’s strongest passports in 2026 revealed

The passport rankings for 2026 are out, and the list has hardly changed.

Singapore has retained its position as the world’s most powerful passport, offering access to 192 destinations visa-free, according to the Henley Passport Index 2026.

Japan and South Korea rank joint 2nd, each offering visa-free access to 188 destinations, reinforcing Asia’s long-standing leadership at the top of the global mobility rankings. Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland follow in 3rd place with access to 186 destinations, ahead of an unprecedented group of 10 European countries — Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands and Norway — tied for 4^th.

The remainder of the upper-tier passports continue to underscore Europe’s dominance, with notable exceptions including UAE (5th), New Zealand (6th), Australia (7th), Canada (8th), and Malaysia (9th), the report showed.

Weakest passport

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Afghanistan once again ranks last, with its passport holders able to travel to just 24 destinations without a prior visa. The resulting 168-destination gap starkly illustrates the scale of global mobility inequality in 2026 — a dramatic widening of the divide since 2006, when the difference between the then top-ranking US passport and Afghanistan was only 118 destinations.

“Over the past 20 years, global mobility has expanded significantly, but the benefits have been distributed unevenly”, said Christian H. Kaelin, chairman at Henley & Partners and creator of the Henley Passport Index. “Today, passport privilege plays a decisive role in shaping opportunity, security, and economic participation, with rising average access masking a reality in which mobility advantages are increasingly concentrated among the world’s most economically powerful and politically stable nations.”

“A record number of people are expected to travel in 2026. The unequivocal economic and social benefits generated by this travel grow as it becomes more accessible. But while more people have the economic freedom to travel, many nationalities are seeing that a passport alone is no longer sufficient to cross borders”, said IATA director general Willie Walsh. “As many governments look to more tightly secure their borders, technological advances such as digital ID and digital passports should not be overlooked by policymakers. Convenient travel and secure borders are possible.”

Heavy loss for UK, US back in top 10

The US has returned to the top 10 after briefly dropping out for the first time in late 2025, but this recovery masks a longer-term decline for both the US and the UK, which jointly held 1st place in 2014. The past year saw both countries record their steepest annual losses in visa-free access, shedding seven and eight destinations, respectively. The US has suffered the third largest ranking decline over the past two decades — after Venezuela and Vanuatu — falling six places from 4th to 10th, while the UK ranks as the fourth-biggest faller, down four places from 3rd in 2006 to 7th in 2026.

Biggest gainers

The UAE stands out as the strongest performer on the Henley Passport Index over the past 20 years, adding 149 visa-free destinations since 2006 and climbing 57 places to 5th on the rankings with access to 184 destinations visa-free, driven by sustained diplomatic engagement and visa liberalisation, the report said.

Countries across the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe have also made significant gains over the past two decades, led by Albania, which climbed 36 places to rank 43rd on the index. Ukraine has risen 34 places (to 30th), followed by Serbia (+30 to 34th), North Macedonia (+27 to 38th), and both Bosnia and Herzegovina (+29) and Georgia (+26), which now share 42nd place. Together, these advances highlight the impact of regional integration and closer alignment with key partners.

Bolivia is the only country on the index to have seen an overall decline in visa-free access over the past 20 years, losing 5 visa-free destinations and falling 32 places to rank at 61st in 2026.

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Top 10 countries with the highest Schengen visa rejection

While thousands of UAE residents are currently scrambling to lock in travel plans ahead of the upcoming two-month school summer holiday, a smooth European getaway is far from a guarantee. In fact, choosing the wrong diplomatic mission right now could completely derail your vacation before it even begins.

The latest visa statistics from the European Commission reveal a stark reality for local holidaymakers: while some European nations welcome travellers with open arms, including giving them multiple-entry Schengen visas, a select group of consulates inside the UAE are proving to be major brick walls.

Surge in applications

Globally, the EU and Schengen-associated consulates received nearly 12 million applications for short-stay visas in 2025, a 1.8 percent increase from 2024 (11.7 million) and a 15.5 percent rise from 2023 (10.3 million). However, overall demand remained well below the 17 million applications recorded in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic.

10 million visas

Over 10 million visas were issued globally in 2025, a 3 percent increase from 2024 (9.7 million). While the global refusal rate held steady at 14.8 percent, rejection rates inside the UAE tell a wildly different story for certain destinations, with several consulates turning away more than a third — and in some cases, over half — of all local applicants.

Highest rejection rates

Data reveals that Bulgaria is statistically the hardest Schengen visa to secure in the UAE. The country maintains a staggering official rejection rate of 58.2 percent, turning away 2,473 applicants out of 4,494 requests.

Luxembourg follows closely as the second-hardest destination, with a 48.5 percent rejection rate, meaning nearly one out of every two UAE applicants is denied. Estonia takes the third spot with a refusal rate of 46.4 percent across its 468 applications.

The high-volume traps

While smaller European states often see high percentages due to lower application volumes, several massive, mainstream holiday destinations in the UAE are operating as major rejection traps for unsuspecting holidaymakers.

Malta rejected 45.9 percent of its 7,079 applicants in the UAE, while Croatia denied 42.6 percent of the 2,092 people who applied. Meanwhile, Nordic favourite Sweden maintained a strict barrier, rejecting 40.7 percent of its 6,312 local applicants.

Popular Eastern European hub Hungary crossed the 10,000-application milestone in the UAE but proved to be highly exclusive, turning down 35.2 percent (3,636 applicants) of its total pool. Poland also sits high on the refusal leaderboard at 32.5 percent.

Rounding out the top 10 hardest states are Denmark and Slovakia. Denmark processed a massive 17,288 applications from the UAE but handed out rejections to 31.8 percent of them, while Slovakia refused 31.5 percent of its 1,110 applicants.

Smart travel strategy

The data indicates that instead of gambling on boutique destinations or strict Nordic states, smart UAE travellers should anchor their summer holiday itineraries with diplomatic heavyweights like Spain, France, or Germany, all of which boast significantly higher pure approval rates locally.

Gulf news

travel

Saudi Arabia bans in-flight power bank charging

operating at the Kingdom’s airports, updating regulations governing the carriage of portable chargers, commonly known as power banks, and other electronic devices onboard aircraft.

The authority announced the updated rules on social media, saying the measures are aimed at enhancing aviation safety and aligning with international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Charging power banks onboard banned

Under the new regulations, passengers and cabin crew are prohibited from recharging portable power banks during flights.

The authority said the measures are intended to strengthen aviation safety and security across all flights operating in the Kingdom.

Power banks allowed only in cabin baggage

The updated rules also state that power banks must be carried only in hand luggage inside the aircraft cabin and are strictly prohibited in checked baggage.

Passengers will be allowed to carry a maximum of two portable chargers each onboard.

As an added precautionary measure, the authority further recommended avoiding the use of power banks to charge electronic devices during flights.

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UAE restores normal air traffic operations

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has announced that air traffic in the UAE’s airspace has returned to normal operations, with temporary precautionary measures lifted.

The authority said the decision followed a comprehensive assessment of operational and security conditions, carried out in coordination with relevant entities. It stressed that real-time monitoring will continue to ensure the highest levels of aviation safety.

The GCAA also expressed its appreciation for the cooperation of passengers and airlines during the recent period, reaffirming the readiness of its technical and operational teams to respond to any potential developments.

It urged the public to rely on official sources for information.