The UAE has climbed to 32nd place on the 2018 Henley Passport Index, after signing a visa-waiver agreement with China. The UAE passport now offers holders visa-free travel to 134 countries, up from 121 countries in 2017. As of last Tuesday, UAE nationals can travel to China without a visa, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the two governments exempting UAE nationals from obtaining pre-entry visas for stays of up to 30 days.

The agreement came into effect one week after the launch of the 2018 Henley Passport Index. The UAE passport has risen by an impressive six places year-on-year and by 29 places over the past decade — the biggest historical climb of any passport in the world.

Performance of countries in the MENA region remains highly varied

The UAE’s success is linked to the fact that, between 1999 and 2018, visa restrictions on Emirati citizens have been lifted by countries such as New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, Ukraine, and now China, as well as by those in Europe’s Schengen Area. Within the wider GCC region, all member countries significantly improved their positions in 2018. Kuwait moved up to 58th position, with visa-free access to 83 countries, and Bahrain climbed to 63rd place, offering its citizens access to 75 countries. Oman (65th) and Saudi Arabia (67th) followed closely behind, with visa-free access to 71 and 69 countries, respectively.

Commenting on the UAE’s latest climb on the index, Marco Gantenbein, Managing Partner of Henley & Partners Dubai and Head of Middle East, says, “This development re-affirms the UAE and China’s thriving partnership. Emiratis’ exemption from pre-entry visa to China will reflect positively on tourism, trade and investment and further augment the economic and commercial relations between the two countries. The UAE’s continued efforts to nurture its cooperation and engagement with its international counterparts, particularly with strong emerging markets such as China, will positively impact the nation’s economic development as well as ensure sustained growth in the region.”

With the exception of GCC countries, countries in the region have mostly lost ground on the index over time. The Palestinian Territory, meanwhile, has remained stable, ranking 97th since 2008. The UAE’s exceptional performance has been instrumental in improving the MENA region’s overall standing on the index.

At the launch of the 2018 Henley Passport Index on 9 January 2018, Gantenbein provided insight into the current investment migration landscape in MENA. “In the region, we continue to witness a growth in demand for investment migration programs. This demand is driven by a number of key factors, including the need for improved global mobility, better security, enhanced quality of life, and most often also generational wealth planning and portfolio diversification. Against this backdrop, the MENA region is an increasingly important market for investment migration.”

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About the 2018 Henley Passport Index 
The Henley Passport Index is a ranking of all the passports of the world according to the number of countries their holders can travel to visa-free. The ranking is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information, and is enhanced by extensive in-house research.

The Henley Passport Index is the original and most authoritative passport index, with historical data spanning 13 years. The index, which is updated continually throughout the year, takes into account 219 different countries and territories, making it the most robust and comprehensive passport index available. Along with the Henley & Partners – Kochenov Quality of Nationality Index, the Henley Passport Index is considered the most credible reference tool within the investment migration industry.

About Henley & Partners 
Henley & Partners is the global leader in residence and citizenship planning. Each year, hundreds of wealthy individuals and their advisors rely on our expertise and experience in this area. The firm’s highly qualified professionals work together as one team in over 30 offices worldwide.

The concept of residence and citizenship planning was created by Henley & Partners in the 1990s. As globalization has expanded, residence and citizenship have become topics of significant interest among the increasing number of internationally mobile entrepreneurs and investors whom we proudly serve every day.

The firm also runs a leading government advisory practice that has raised more than USD 6 billion in foreign direct investment. The firm has been involved in strategic consulting and in the design, set-up, and operation of the world’s most successful residence and citizenship programs.

© Press Release 2018