Emirati citizens will not need a visa to visit Canada for up to six months starting from June 5, effectively pushing the UAE passport to the 14th rank of the Passport Index's power ranking, shared with Cyprus.

In addition to Canada, UAE has visa waivers coming in force from Brazil and Guyana resulting in a total visa-free score of 151 – a major step for UAE's Race to the Very Top with the UAE's Passport Force Initiative.  

The UAE has strong ties with Canada, with nearly 40,000 Canadians living and working in the nation, and some 150 Canadian companies with strong operational presence in the UAE.

Additionally, the UAE is Canada's top export market in the Mena region with recorded exports of C$1.79 billion ($1.38 billion) in 2016. Having the tallest, biggest, and the best is part of the DNA of the UAE, and being granted visa-free access into Canada is a key step in achieving this goal.

Emirati citizens, like other visa-exempt travellers, will need an electronic travel authorization (eTA) to fly to, or transit through a Canadian airport. The eTA allows Canadian officials to screen travellers for admissibility before they board their flight to Canada.  

"The United Arab Emirates is a key strategic partner and lifting the visa requirement will help reaffirm the strong relationship between our two countries. It will also promote increased tourism, cultural, academic and study exchanges, as well as foster new business, trade, and investment opportunities," confirmed Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Over the last decade, the UAE passport has seen immense growth in its global visa-free score and is amongst the list of nations that has experienced the fastest growth in the world. Having gained the trust and respect of over 35 countries in the past decade, UAE's passport power is slowly but surely reaching the summit.  

"We have been working with the UAE authorities to monitor and help boost the power of their passport," said Armand Arton, president of Arton Capital, a Canadian global financial advisory firm. "I am delighted that our efforts are bearing fruit."

The Passport Index is the most popular online interactive tool, which collects, displays and ranks the passports of the world. It is the only real-time global ranking of passports, updated as frequently as new visa waivers and changes are announced. – TradeArabia News Service