The 10 most powerful passports of the decade

These are the greatest passports of the decade. Source: Getty

Applying for a visa can be a tedious - and expensive - experience, which means it often pays to have a passport that allows you to work abroad without one.

The Passport Index has revealed the top 10 most powerful passports of the decade, that is, the ones that allow you to enter the most countries without a visa - and the findings will surprise you.

“The greatest passports of the decade are not European, nor are they North American. Passport Index’s unique real-time ranking of the world’s passports reveals quite astonishing trends and results,” the Passport Index stated.

• Related story: Couple spent $18,000 on luxury Airbnb that didn’t exist

• Related story: Sydney to London in four hours? The tech is nearly here

Here they are:

1. United Arab Emirates

2. Taiwan

3. Ukraine

4. Albania

5. Bosnia and Herzegovina

6. Georgia, Moldova

7. Marshal Islands, Palau

8. Micronesia

9. Timor Leste

10. Vanuatu

According to the report, the UAE topped the list for gaining 111 visa waivers, resulting in a 161 per cent increase in passport power.

Taiwan and Ukrain each gained 79 and 69 visa waivers respectively, followed by Albania with 65 and Bosnia and Herzegovina with 64.

Moldova and Georgia sat equal sixth, with each gaining 63 visa waivers, while the Marshall Islands and Palau shared equal seventh, each gaining 58 visa waivers.

Micronesia gained 57 visa waivers, and Vanuatu and Timor Leste each gained 53 and 55 visa waivers respectively.

“Contrary to popular perception, in an era of building walls and closing borders, the world has considerably opened up in the past decade,” the report stated.

Make your money work with Yahoo Finance’s daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, news and tech news.