Shafaq News– Baghdad

The Iraqi passport ranked 20th among Arab countries in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, placing it near the bottom regionally.

According to the index, Iraqis can access around 29 destinations without a prior visa, putting Iraq second from last among Arab states, ahead of Syria only.

Regionally, the Henley & Partners index shows a wide gap between Gulf and non-Gulf countries. The United Arab Emirates topped the Arab ranking and placed fifth globally, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 184 destinations, followed by Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman.

Mid-ranking Arab passports included Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania, Algeria, Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon, while the weakest regional passports were held by Yemen, Iraq, and Syria, according to the index.

Globally, the strongest passport, Singapore, allows access to 192 destinations, while Afghanistan ranked last with access to 24.

The Henley Passport Index is based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and measures passport strength by the number of destinations holders can enter without obtaining a visa in advance or with simplified entry arrangements.