MUSCAT – According to the latest report powered by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), holders of the Omani passport can now travel visa-free or with visa-on-arrival to 88 destinations, up from 86 in 2024.

The Sultanate continues its upward trend in international travel rankings, having been ranked 60th in 2024 and 65th in 2023.

The Henley Passport Index ranks all the world’s passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without obtaining a visa in advance.

A press note on the report, emphasises a global trend toward increased openness and greater mobility. “Over the past decade, more than 80 passports have climbed at least 10 places, and the global average number of visa-free destinations has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025,” the report noted.
Singapore holds the top position globally, offering visa-free access to 193 destinations, followed by Japan and South Korea, tied for second with 190 destinations each.

According to the report, UAE continues to be a standout among the top risers, shooting up 34 places over the last 10 years from 42nd to 8th place, making it the only big riser to break into the Top 10 in the ranking.

“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,” states the press note.

India has recorded the largest jump in ranking over the past six months, climbing eight places from 85th to 77th, despite only adding two destinations to its visa-free tally, now at 59. Meanwhile, 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.

Another notable winner is China, also rising 34 places from 94th to 60th since 2015 — particularly impressive considering that, unlike other top risers, China has not yet gained visa-free access to Europe’s Schengen Area.

China’s rise has, however, been assisted by its significant move towards greater openness; it has granted visa-free access to over a dozen new passports since January, bringing its total openness score to 75 nations. Notable additions to China’s visa-free list in 2025 include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia — which means that citizens of all Gulf Cooperation Council countries can travel to China with no prior visa — as well as several South American nations including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay.

At the other end of the global mobility spectrum, Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the ranking, with its citizens able to access just 25 destinations without a prior visa.