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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Jordanian passport holders can visit 44 countries around the world without the need for a visa, according to the annual Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index.

Emirati passport holders fared best in the region in terms of visa-free travel, with access to 114 countries. A recent agreement with the EU granted UAE citizens visa-free entry to 36 countries, including those in the Schengen area.

Germany and the UK shared the index’s top spot with visa-free access to 173 countries out of a possible 218. While continuing unrest in Syria, Pakistan, Somalia, Iraq, and Afghanistan meant they were ranked the five worst passports in the world in terms of ease of travel.

Marco Gantenbein, managing partner of Henley & Partners in Dubai, told Arabian Business that although the world is becoming ever more globalized, there remained a huge disparity in levels of travel freedom between countries. “Visa requirements define and shape individuals’ ability to travel across borders. They also reflect strongly on each country’s relationships with others, and will take into account diplomatic relationships between the countries, reciprocal visa arrangements, security risks, and the risks of visa and immigration rules violations,” he said. “Europe, the U.S., and Canada, as the world’s economic powerhouses, continue to dominate the top 10 as we anticipated. However, it’s the performance of the UAE which needs to be applauded for the implied improvement of its international relations.”

*Venture Magazine