GCC unified tourist visa to launch soon across six Gulf nations

A unified tourist visa covering six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states—widely dubbed the "Arab Schengen"—is slated for launch in the near future, GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi announced during the Security and History Dialogue conference in Riyadh, Khaleej Times reported. 

Officially designated as the GCC Grand Tourist Visa, the permit mirrors the Schengen framework, allowing international travelers to navigate Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates under a single cross-border authorization rather than requiring separate national visas. Albudaiwi underscored that the rollout represents a decisive milestone in accelerating regional integration and positioning the Gulf as a seamless tourist destination. 

A pilot rollout is projected for the fourth quarter of 2026. While definitive processing rules, pricing tiers, and validity windows remain under final administrative review, preliminary projections indicate the digital visa will grant stays of 30 to 90 days with fee estimates ranging between $100 and $150.