Which passport is the most powerful? Depends on who you ask.

Arton Capital’s Passport Index has revealed its rankings for the most powerful passports in the world. According to their list, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has the number one passport in the world due to its freedom from travel restrictions and passport holders’ ability to visit other countries visa-free. 

UAE passport holders can enter a whopping 121 countries without a visa, giving them visa-free access to 91% of the world. For context, a US passport gets you access to 109 countries visa-free. 

The UAE beat out many European countries, which dominated the top-10 list, to take the top spot. It beat out countries like Germany, Sweden, Finland, Spain, Switzerland, and more. 

All lists are not made equal

Despite taking the top spot on Passport Index’s list, not everyone is in agreement about which passport is the most powerful. Henley & Partners also releases an annual passport index, and earlier this year they ranked the UAE 15th on their list. 

Topping Henley’s list was Japan, which placed 4th on the passport power ranking list from Arton Capital. Though the two companies seem to use a similar methodology, it seems like there is some variation about which country’s passport is most powerful. 

The pessimist in me realizes that the rankings don’t really make a difference because you can’t choose where you were born. All you can do is try to have the most adventures with the passport you were given.