GCC unified tourism visa to launch soon, confirms Secretary General Jassem Al Budaiwi
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The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is ready to introduce a unified tourism visa that will allow visitors to travel freely across all six member states, Secretary General Jassem Al Budaiwi announced on Wednesday.
Al Budaiwi praised the collaborative efforts behind the initiative, saying, “The unified visa reflects the vision of our leaders to strengthen integration and cooperation".
He emphasized that the move aligns with Gulf leaderships’ broader goals to modernise regional travel infrastructure and boost economic growth through tourism.
Once launched, the GCC Grand Tours Visa will let visitors enter the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman with just one application. The visa aims to streamline travel across the Gulf and encourage intra-regional tourism, in a model similar to the Schengen visa used in Europe.
Al Budaiwi said that stakeholders are committed to adopting advanced technologies to meet evolving global security standards.
“Involved parties are keen on keeping up with the latest technologies, as well as growing and rapid global security demands,” he said.
The unified visa was formally approved in November 2023 during the 40th GCC interior ministers’ meeting held in Oman. It marks a major step in the region’s drive to diversify its economies and elevate its status as a global tourism hub.
Once implemented, tourists will be able to explore top Gulf destinations with a single application. This makes the region more accessible than ever before.