Systems in detail
The GCC unified tourist visa: what has been approved, what has not, and the rules for GCC residents today
The GCC unified tourist visa, often called the GCC Grand Tours Visa, would let foreign tourists visit Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE on one visa 5. GCC interior ministers approved the project on 8 November 2023 1. As of 19 October 2026 it has not launched. On 6 September 2026 the GCC Secretary-General said it would come soon, without giving a date 5. No official fee, validity or application process has been published. GCC residents use each country's own visa routes 6,78.
What the unified visa is meant to do
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has six members: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The planned visa would let foreign tourists visit all six on a single permit, a model press reports compare to the Schengen visa 5.
When interior ministers approved it in November 2023, they said it would make movement easier for residents and tourists between the six states 1. UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri described it in September 2025 as part of a joint Gulf effort to grow tourism's share of GCC output 2.
Official statements and dates
The dates below are statements by ministers and GCC officials as reported by news agencies and newspapers. This site could not open an official GCC Secretariat page on the visa. Each row cites the report used 1,23,45.
| Date | Statement or decision |
|---|---|
| October 2023 | GCC tourism ministers approve the proposal unanimously, as reported in 2026 5 |
| 8 November 2023 | 40th meeting of GCC interior ministers in Muscat, chaired by Oman's Minister of Interior Sayyid Hamoud Faisal Al Busaidi, approves the unified Gulf tourist visa project 1 |
| March 2025 | Oman's Minister of Heritage and Tourism Salim bin Mohammed Al Mahrouqi says the project is in a research phase, with talks on security, data sharing and immigration control 4 |
| June 2025 | UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri says the visa is approved and awaiting implementation 5 |
| July 2025 | GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi says passport departments of the interior ministries are holding joint technical meetings 4 |
| 28 September 2025 | Bin Touq says a pilot launch is expected in the fourth quarter of 2025, as reported from WAM 2 |
| November 2025 | Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb, at the Gulf Gateway Investment Forum in Manama, says the visa will launch in 2026 3,4 |
| 6 September 2026 | Albudaiwi tells the Security and History Dialogue 2026 in Riyadh that the visa will see the light soon, with no date given 5 |
Where things stand on 19 October 2026
The visa has not launched. The latest dated official remark found for this page is the Secretary-General's comment of 6 September 2026 that it would come soon 5. Khaleej Times reported that he gave no launch date, cost, validity period or application process 5.
The target has moved more than once. A pilot was expected in the fourth quarter of 2025 2. In November 2025 the Saudi tourism minister moved the launch to 2026 3,4. Gulf News reported that an application platform was expected to open before the official launch 3. This site found no official confirmation that a pilot or platform has opened.
Some press reports have printed expected fees and stay lengths 4. These are not drawn from a published official notice, so this page leaves them out.
What is not yet known
Officials have confirmed the approval and the aim of a single tourist permit for six states 1,5. The practical rules have not been published. As of 19 October 2026, this site found no official text on the points below. Oman's tourism minister said in March 2025 that security, data sharing and immigration control were still under discussion 4.
Related GCC travel projects
A separate project, the One-Point Air Travellers system between the UAE and Bahrain, launched in February 2026 at Zayed International Airport and Bahrain International Airport. It serves GCC citizens, not foreign visitors, and is distinct from the tourist visa 5.
Qatar and Oman already offer a joint tourist visa for listed nationalities. Visit Qatar says it is issued on arrival, valid for 30 days in both countries, allows multiple entry and can be extended for 30 more days for a fee 7.
Visa rules for GCC citizens and residents today
Visit Qatar says nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE do not need a visa to enter Qatar 7. This page did not check the citizen rules of each other member state.
Foreign residents of GCC states apply to each country on its own terms. The examples below come from official portals and official decisions as published or reported 6,78,9.
| Country | Route for GCC residents | Main conditions |
|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | eVisa for GCC residents 6 | GCC residence valid at least one year from arrival, passport valid six months, profession on the approved list. Valid 30 days from issue, stay 30 days, extendable once for 30 days 6 |
| Qatar | GCC Resident Visa (A2) through the Hayya platform 7 | Applied for on the Hayya website or app 7 |
| Saudi Arabia | Tourist eVisa online 8,9 | Opened to GCC residents by a 2022 decree of the Minister of Tourism 8. In 2023 the ministry extended it to all GCC residents regardless of profession. Applicant at least 18 with a GCC residence permit valid at least three months. Not for Hajj, or Umrah in the Hajj season 9 |
What travellers can rely on now
Until the unified visa launches, a foreign tourist visiting several Gulf states needs to meet each country's entry rules separately 5. Official portals such as u.ae for the UAE and Visit Qatar list current routes 6,7. Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman rules for GCC residents were not checked for this page.
Common questions
Can I apply for the GCC unified visa now?
No. As of 19 October 2026 it had not launched. The GCC Secretary-General said on 6 September 2026 it would come soon 5.
When was the unified visa approved?
GCC interior ministers approved the project at their 40th meeting in Muscat on 8 November 2023 1.
How much will the GCC visa cost?
No official fee has been published. A September 2026 report said no cost had been given 5.
Can GCC residents visit the UAE without a visa?
Eligible GCC residents can get a UAE eVisa valid for 30 days, extendable once 6.
Do GCC citizens need a visa for Qatar?
No. Visit Qatar says GCC nationals do not need a visa 7.
Related
Sources
- Times of Oman (Oman News Agency): GCC Interior Ministers approve unified Gulf tourist visa (8 November 2023)
- Argaam, citing WAM: GCC Grand Tours Visa pilot set for Q4 2025, UAE Tourism Minister (28 September 2025)
- Gulf News: GCC unified visa to be launched in 2026, Saudi minister (7 November 2025)
- Gulf News: Unified GCC visa now coming in 2026, what is behind the new launch date (10 November 2025)
- Khaleej Times: One visa for 6 Gulf countries, GCC chief says scheme will launch soon (8 September 2026)
- UAE Government portal u.ae: eVisa for GCC residents (checked 19 October 2026)
- Visit Qatar: Visa information, visa-free entry or Hayya e-visa (checked 19 October 2026)
- Oman Observer: GCC residents can apply for Saudi tourist eVisa (2 September 2022)
- Deloitte Middle East: All GCC residents are now eligible for a Saudi tourist visa, regardless of their profession (6 April 2023)
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