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Tourists will soon be able to visit six Gulf countries with a single visa under a planned unified tourism visa similar to Europe’s Schengen system.
The “GCC Grand Tourist Visa” will allow foreign visitors to travel across the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait without obtaining separate visas for each country.
GCC Secretary-General Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi said preparations for the long-awaited visa are in their final stages and that it is expected to be launched soon, according to a report by Khaleej Times on Tuesday (Sept 8).
The GCC tourism ministers approved the initiative in October 2023, followed by approval from the bloc’s interior ministers. The project has since moved into its final implementation phase, Albudaiwi said.
However, authorities have yet to announce the exact launch date, application process, visa fee or validity period.
The GCC is also pursuing technology-based initiatives to make travel between member states easier.
At a special session of the Security and History Dialogue 2026 in Riyadh on Sept 6, Albudaiwi highlighted the “One-Point Air Travellers” system launched between the UAE and Bahrain.
The system was piloted in February between Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport and Bahrain International Airport. Under the arrangement, passengers complete e-gate and biometric verification before departure and do not need to repeat the immigration process upon arrival.
The unified tourist visa is expected to reduce visa-related costs and complications for international visitors while promoting the six GCC states as a single, integrated tourism destination.
