Pakistan remains among worst passports in Henley's latest ranking
Singapore retained the title of the world's most powerful passport, with visa-free access to 193 destinations out of 227 globally, according to the index.
The index includes data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and ranks all the world's passports based on the number of destinations their holders can enter without a prior visa.
Asian nations continue to lead the global mobility race, with Japan and South Korea sharing 2nd place, each granting their citizens access to 190 destinations visa-free.
A contingent of European countries occupied the rest of the Top 5. Seven EU passports share 3rd place – Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain, all with access to 189 destinations.
UAE was ranked 8th with a mobility score of 184, and the only country in the Middle East in the top 10. The UAE continues to be a standout among the top risers, shooting up 34 places over the last 10 years from 42nd to 8th place.
Last month, Pakistan and the UAE signed a visa exemption agreement for diplomatic and official passports.
Pakistani passport fourth-worst in the world: Henley Passport Index
Dr Christian H. Kaelin, the inventor of the passport index concept, said the latest Henley Passport Index had revealed an increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility.
'The consolidation we're seeing at the top underscores that access is earned – and must be maintained– through active and strategic diplomacy,' she was quoted as saying in the press release issued by Henley on Tuesday.
'Nations that proactively negotiate visa waivers and nurture reciprocal agreements continue to rise, while the opposite applies to those that are less engaged in such efforts.'
Biggest movers and shakers
The UK and US have each dropped a place in the global passport rankings since January, continuing a long-term downward trend.
Once the most powerful passports in the world – the UK in 2015 and the US in 2014 – they now rank 6th and 10th, respectively.
The UK currently has visa-free access to 186 destinations, while the US trails with 182.
Notably, the US is now on the brink of exiting the Top 10 altogether for the first time in the index's 20-year history.
India has recorded the largest jump in ranking over the past six months, climbing eight places from 85th to 77th, while Saudi Arabia has made the biggest gain in visa-free access, adding four destinations since January. Its total now stands at 91, lifting the kingdom four places to 54th.
Pakistan, UAE sign visa exemption agreement for select passport holders
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