Singapore passport second in new ranking, behind UAE

SINGAPORE - The Singapore passport has fallen to second in the 2018 Passport Index, behind the United Arab Emirates' travel document which is now the most powerful passport in the world.

Global advisory firm Arton Capital's Passport Index ranks countries' passports according to the cross-border access they bring, assigning a "visa-free score" based on the number of countries a passport holder can visit without a visa, or with a visa on arrival.

In this year's ranking, the United Arab Emirates' passport earned a score of 167. Holders of the Emirati passport can visit 113 countries visa-free and 54 countries with a visa on arrival.

Singapore was just behind with a score of 166, as the Republic's passport grants visa-free travel to 127 countries. There are 39 countries where holders of a Singapore passport require a visa on arrival.

Germany also earned a score of 166, but was ranked third as holders of German passports are granted visa-free travel to 126 countries, one fewer than Singapore passport holders.

The Singapore passport also came in second in the Henley Passport Index's fourth-quarter update which was released in October.

In that ranking, it was edged out by the Japanese passport, which was ranked 13th by the 2018 Passport Index.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.