Unified GCC Visa coming soon, says Secretary General Jassem Al Budaiwi

Dubai: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will soon launch a unified tourism visa, announced GCC Secretary General Jassem Al Budaiwi on Wednesday.

Al Budaiwi hailed the collective efforts of Gulf member states in advancing the initiative, which is expected to transform travel across the region. Once implemented, the single visa will enable tourists to move freely between the six GCC nations: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

He indicated that the measures would help realize the visions of the Gulf leaderships, adding that involved parties were keen on keeping up with the latest technologies, as well as growing and rapid global security demands.

“The unified visa reflects the vision of our leaders to strengthen integration and cooperation,” Al Budaiwi said, adding that the initiative aligns with broader ambitions to modernise the region’s travel infrastructure and stimulate economic growth through tourism.

Soon, visiting the Gulf’s top destinations may be as easy as clicking 'apply' once.

Officially named the GCC Grand Tours Visa, this new visa scheme will allow travel to:

The unified visa was officially approved in November 2023 during the 40th meeting of GCC interior ministers in Oman. The concept draws comparisons to the Schengen visa in Europe and is seen as a key milestone in the Gulf’s efforts to diversify its economies, attract international visitors, and promote intra-regional tourism.

While the final terms are still being confirmed, here’s what’s expected:

The GCC Grand Tours Visa will reportedly come with extended validity and lower overall costs, especially compared to getting six separate visas. That means more travel, less paperwork.

Though the final list may vary depending on your nationality and travel plans, here’s what travellers will likely be asked to provide:

Once the visa officially goes live, here’s how the application process is expected to work: