Qatar passport has moved up three places to 57th in the world with a visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of 99, according to the latest ranking released by Henley & Partners, a global investment migration consultancy.
In 2012, Qatar ranked 67th, making its recent rise a display of the country’s forward-thinking policies and its attractiveness to investors.
The index and contents are based on data provided by the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) and supplemented, enhanced, and updated using extensive in-house research and open-source online data. The index includes 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations. Updated quarterly, the Henley Passport Index is the most robust and reliable index of its kind.
The FIFA World Cup 2022 host nation Qatar ranked 60th in 2021 with a score of 97 but recorded its best score in 2020 when it ranked 54th.
Earlier this year, the first-ever Global Passport Index: the Investment Edition released by Global Citizen Solutions ranked Qatar in the top 10 passports in terms of investment alongside neighbours the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Since a 2020 Cabinet announcement allowed non-Qatari investors to own residential and commercial properties in more areas, the country has seen a significant rise in real estate development and investment, making it a regional hub for people looking for a second home.
Owners of properties worth no less than QR730,000 ($200,000) will be offered residency alongside their family members for the duration of their ownership.
On the other hand, those owning property valued at least $1m will receive permanent residency benefits that include health, education, and investment in some commercial activities.
The 16 areas where non-Qataris can use/lease the real estate for 99 years are Mushaireb, Fareej Abdul Aziz, Doha Jadeeda, Al Ghanim Al Ateeq, Al Riffa and Al Hitmi Al Ateeq, and Aslata.
These areas also include Fereej Bin Mahmoud 22, Fereej Bin Mahmoud 23, Rawdat Al Khail, Mansoura, Fareej Bin Dirham, Najma, Umm Ghuwailina, Al Khalaifat, Al Sadd, Al Mirqab Al Jadeed, Fareej Al Nasr and the Doha International Airport area.
Recently, the European Commission proposed lifting visa requirements for Qatar and Kuwait nationals. Once agreed, Qataris and Kuwaitis holding biometric passports would no longer need a visa when travelling to the EU for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period for business, tourism or family purposes.
Meanwhile, Japan holds the number one spot on the Henley & Partners index, recording a visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of 193, while Singapore and South Korea come in joint-second place, with a score of 192. The United Arab Emirates remains the strongest in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and the wider Arab world — ranking 15th with a visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of 176.
According to research by Henley & Partners, top-ranking passports have bounced back almost at pre-pandemic levels in terms of access.
