Get ready to explore the entire Gulf region with unprecedented ease! The highly anticipated GCC Grand Tours Visa, a Schengen-style tourist permit, is officially set to launch, allowing seamless movement across six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations.
This is a game-changer for regional tourism, especially for the millions of foreign residents living in the Gulf.
Key Takeaways for Your Readers
- The Big Launch: The “GCC Grand Tours” unified tourist visa is expected to be launched next year, with initial reports pointing to 2026 for full implementation.
- The Scope: The single visa will grant multi-entry access to all six GCC countries: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman.
- Who Benefits: While GCC citizens already enjoy visa-free travel, this new permit is designed to simplify and reduce the cost of multi-country trips for foreign nationals and residents of the region.
- The Details:
- It will feature a digital online application process.
- It is expected to offer a validity period of 30 to 90 days.
- The single visa will be more cost-effective than applying for separate visas for each country.
- What it Means for the UAE: The visa is a major step in presenting the GCC as one cohesive tourism destination, and in the UAE, it aligns with new infrastructure projects like the Etihad Rail passenger train to make in-country travel easier for all visitors.
This unified visa is a product of four years of collaboration and is aimed at significantly boosting tourism and economic growth across the entire Gulf region.
