Oman passport was ranked 62nd in the Henley & Partners Passport Index with its citizens able to access 80 destinations visa-free or with electronic travel authorization (eTA).
Omanis can access 20 Asian countries, six (6) European countries, 21 African countries, eight (8) Oceanian countries, seven (7) countries in the Carribean, four (4) in the Americas and 14 countries in the Middle East.
Notable among countries that an Omani passport can access include the United Kingdom and New Zealand via eTA.
This year's ranking is the highest for the Sultanate in the last 10 years having been ranked 68th, 67th, and 64th in the last three years, respectively.
The ranking was based on the data collected and released by Henley & Partners Passport Index, the only passport index that is based on IATA data, enhanced by extensive in-house research, supported by expert commentary, and updated regularly throughout the year, making it the most robust, credible, and reliable index of its kind.
The organization however warned that due to coronavirus-related restrictions, travel bans may take precedence over the visa information released.
Without taking temporary restrictions into account, Japan continues to hold the number one position on the index, with passport holders able to access 191 destinations around the world visa-free.
This marks the third consecutive year that Japan has held the top spot, either alone or jointly with Singapore. Asia Pacific (APAC) region countries’ dominance of the index — which is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) — now seems firmly established. Singapore sits in 2nd position, with access to 190 destinations, and South Korea holds onto 3rd place alongside Germany, with both having a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 189. Slightly further down but still in the top 10, New Zealand is in 7th position, with visa-free access to 185 destinations, while Australia is in 8th position, with access to 184 destinations.
There were relatively few high-profile visa agreements between countries during 2020. The notable exception was the UAE, which has continued its remarkable upward trajectory on the Henley Passport Index. The country signed several mutually reciprocated visa-waiver agreements last year, including a landmark US-brokered agreement establishing formal ties with Israel and granting citizens of each country visa-free access to the other.
The UAE now has a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 173 and holds 16th spot on the ranking. This is a stunning ascent when compared to the position it held at the index’s inception in 2006, when the country ranked 62nd, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of just 35.
To check which countries you can visit visa free or via eTA, visit https://www.henleypassportindex.com/passport.
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