SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
Riyadh: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is moving closer to introducing a unified tourist visa for international visitors, allowing them to travel across its six member states under a single permit.
GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said the scheme would facilitate travel between Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.
Speaking at the Security and History Dialogue 2026 in Riyadh on September 6, Albudaiwi called the project an important step towards strengthening Gulf integration and supporting the region’s tourism sector.
He did not announce a launch date or disclose the proposed fee, validity period or application process.
How the visa plan has progressed
The GCC Supreme Council approved the project in 2023 and authorised interior ministers to take the necessary steps for its implementation.
GCC tourism ministers unanimously approved the proposal in October that year, followed by approval from the bloc’s interior ministers in November.
The visa will be known as the GCC Grand Tours. UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri announced the name in May 2024 during the opening day of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024.
In June 2025, UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said the permit had been approved and was awaiting implementation. Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al Khateeb later indicated that the scheme was expected to launch in 2026.
How the unified visa will work
The initiative is aimed at non-citizens of GCC countries visiting more than one member state. Once operational, travellers will not need to submit separate tourist visa applications for each country included in their itinerary.
The arrangement is expected to make multi-destination holidays simpler, giving visitors greater freedom to divide their stay between Gulf cities and explore cultural, historical and natural attractions, as well as markets and events.
Potential boost for Gulf tourism
The common system could reduce costs for visitors travelling to several member states, as travellers would not have to pay separate visa fees for every destination, depending on the final fee structure.
It could also encourage travel companies to develop regional packages combining cultural, leisure, ecotourism and business tourism across multiple Gulf destinations.
A Gulf visa website has indicated that the permit could be valid for one to three months, with travel between several member states during that period. However, this remains an estimate until the final regulations are issued.
Authorities have not yet announced the official application platform or confirmed the eligibility requirements, fees and other conditions for the scheme.
SOURCE : SIASAT
