I used to think travelling abroad was simple. I’d choose a destination, book a flight, pack a bag, flash my US passport at the airport and be gone. But with the US passport this week dropping out of Henley Passport Index's 10 most powerful for the first time in 20 years, that sense of ease has shifted.
For many, travel cannot be spontaneous; it has to be strategic. It involves planning months ahead, budgeting for visa costs and sometimes facing rejection for reasons that feel arbitrary.
Recently, I’ve experienced these changes firsthand. When applying for an eVisa to Brazil just months after its new policy towards American citizens took effect in April, and when securing a visa for a trip to China not long before that.
Last month, I was in Beijing to cover the inaugural Zayed Charity Run. I hadn’t been to China – or, indeed, any country that required me to apply for a visa – in a long time. I assumed the process would be straightforward but, because I needed a visa, it turned out to be stressful, and expensive to boot.
This was my first time filling out a proper visa form. I found it complicated and even surprising because I had no idea it would require details about my parents and which countries I had visited in the past two years.
I was also running against a tight deadline, which added to the stress. After submitting the initial form, I had to provide flight and hotel bookings, again a novel experience for me, plus an NOC from my employer and a letter from the UAE embassy in China to expedite the process. I even had to pay a whopping Dh645 ($175).
Luckily, I got the visa in time, but it was a taxing experience.
While I’m grateful everything came together, I realise that what I’d always assumed was “normal” when it came to travel has actually just been privilege.
Living in the UAE, surrounded by people of so many nationalities, I’ve often heard about visa hurdles, denied applications and endless embassy visits. A friend who holds an Indian passport recently noted that nearly every trip he wants to take entails endless paperwork, embassy visits and, at times, cancellations if there are no available appointments.
I sympathised but, until I went through the process myself, I didn't truly understand just how cumbersome it can be. After all, the US passport offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry into 180 countries and territories, with only 46 countries requiring a visa to be secured before travel, the Henley Passport Index says.
Yet, as other countries continue to strengthen diplomatic ties and expand visa-free access, it doesn’t surprise me that the American passport has slipped in power. Still, I hope this trend prompts reflection – not just about rankings, but about what it means to move freely through the world and how easily things can change.
I am sure these factors don't bother many people with western passports, even as the US and UK have quietly weakened in recent years.
There’s also something quietly humbling about realising that a small book has shaped so much of how I see the world. It has determined where I could go, how easily I could get there and, in some ways, how I viewed other travellers. I used to take that ease for granted, unaware that the idea of moving freely across borders remains out of reach for many.
Maybe that’s what travel privilege is really about: the ability to move through the world assuming the doors will open, because they always have. It’s the luxury of spontaneity, of making plans without thinking twice about borders or bureaucracy.
For decades, Americans and other western passport holders have enjoyed that advantage, often without realising how extraordinary it is.
These days, as the global balance shifts and other countries rise in mobility and influence, things feel a bit different. I still have more access than most, but I don’t take it lightly any more.
Managing the separation process
- Choose your nursery carefully in the first place
- Relax – and hopefully your child will follow suit
- Inform the staff in advance of your child’s likes and dislikes.
- If you need some extra time to talk to the teachers, make an appointment a few days in advance, rather than attempting to chat on your child’s first day
- The longer you stay, the more upset your child will become. As difficult as it is, walk away. Say a proper goodbye and reassure your child that you will be back
- Be patient. Your child might love it one day and hate it the next
- Stick at it. Don’t give up after the first day or week. It takes time for children to settle into a new routine.And, finally, don’t feel guilty.
MATCH DETAILS
Manchester United 3
Greenwood (21), Martial (33), Rashford (49)
Partizan Belgrade 0
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
Packages which the US Secret Service said contained possible explosive devices were sent to:
- Former first lady Hillary Clinton
- Former US president Barack Obama
- Philanthropist and businessman George Soros
- Former CIA director John Brennan at CNN's New York bureau
- Former Attorney General Eric Holder (delivered to former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz)
- California Congresswoman Maxine Waters (two devices)
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
England squad
Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Dominic Bess, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Ben Foakes, Lewis Gregory, Keaton Jennings, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Amar Virdi, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
