Powerful passports: UAE retains top spot, Bangladesh 182nd

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as the world’s most powerful passport, according to a report by the Nomad Passport Ranking Index 2023. The passport ranking was made on the grounds of travel, taxation, dual citizenship, perception and freedom.

However, the passport of Bangladesh is currently ranked as 182, with a total score of 37.50.

The UAE passport holds a total score of 110.50, as the travel document allows entry to 181 countries. For the UAE’s Travel score calculation, the index relied on publicly available passport data and news sources to rank travel access,” the report said.

“We calculate the Travel scores by summing up Visa-free, Visa On Arrival, and eTA countries. Based on that data, we assigned UAE a Travel score of 181 as there are 116 countries that UAE passport holders can enter without a visa (i.e. visa-free countries), 58 countries that allow UAE passport holders to enter by obtaining a visa on arrival (i.e. visa-on-arrival countries) and 7 electronic travel authorisation (eTA) destinations,” the report said.

Totally, UAE passport holders can enter 181 destinations — either without a visa, through a visa on arrival, or via an eTA.

Moreover, the UAE’s zero-tax approach also boosted its passport ranking with a total score of 50, the report said.

Therese are the top 10 countries with the world’s most powerful passports:

United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Luxembourg
Switzerland
Ireland
Portugal
Germany
Czech Republic
New Zealand
Sweden
Finland

The passport of Bangladesh is currently ranked as 182, with a total score of 37.50.

Based on that data, Bangladesh has a Travel score of 49 as there are 15 countries that Bangladesh passport holders can enter without a visa (i.e. visa-free countries), 32 countries that allow Bangladesh passport holders to enter by obtaining a visa on arrival (i.e. visa-on-arrival countries) and 2 electronic travel authorization (eTA) destinations.

Bangladesh passport holders can enter a total of 49 destinations — either without a visa, through a visa on arrival, or via an eTA. Separate from these 49 destinations, there are 201 additional destinations which Bangladesh passport holders either need a physical visa to enter or an eVisa.

BDST: 1205 HRS, MAY 16, 2023
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