Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — The Saudi passport advanced its global ranking to 61st during the current year of 2024 from 65 during the year 2023.

The ranking was made among passports of more than 200 countries in the world, in terms of the number of countries that its holder is allowed to enter without obtaining a visa.

It was found that Saudi Arabia allows its holder to enter 89 countries without a visa.

This came in the ranking list of the most powerful passports, prepared annually by Henley & Partners, which specializes in providing advice on immigration and investment in countries around the world.

The index, compiled by the London-based advisory firm Henley & Partners, relies on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

This achievement marks the highest number recorded since the inception of the Henley Passport Index 19 years ago.

France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, and Singapore emerged toppers in the 2024 list, and citizens of these countries now enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to an impressive 194 destinations worldwide.

Passports of Finland, South Korea, and Sweden ranked second while Austria, Denmark, Ireland, and the Netherlands came third whereas Britain, Belgium, Malta, and Switzerland ranked fourth.

The United States came in seventh place, along with Hungary and Canada.

According to the list, the Saudi passport allows its holder to enter 89 countries without an entry visa, while its holder still must obtain a visa to enter 137 countries.

The Saudi passport was ranked 72nd in 2021, and 65th in 2022 and 2023. The Saudi passport is preceded by the Omani passport with the margin of a rank, while it is followed by the Chinese passport with the margin of a rank.

The UAE passport ranked 11th, while Qatar ranked 53rd, Kuwait 55th, and Bahrain 59th

The countries that bottomed the 2024 list are: Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, the Palestinian territories, North Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Eritrea, Sudan, Nigeria, Lebanon, and Iran.

With historical data spanning 19 years, the Henley Passport Index is the only one of its kind based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA).

The index includes 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations.

Updated monthly, the Henley Passport Index is considered the standard reference tool for global citizens and sovereign states when assessing where a passport ranks on the global mobility spectrum.