GCC's big decision: Now travel to 6 Gulf countries using one visa

Dubai: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has announced that it will introduce a common tourist visa based on the Schengen model, dubbed the “GCC Grand Tours”. The visa will be launched on a trial basis in late 2025 and will be fully implemented later.

This visa will allow easy travel between Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman. According to GCC Secretary-General Jassim Al-Badawi, the project is in its final stages, and applications will soon be made through a digital platform.

This visa will provide convenience, especially to the millions of foreign residents living in the region. Now they will be allowed to travel to six countries on a single visa instead of obtaining separate visas for each country, which will save both time and money.

The visa is expected to be valid for 30 to 90 days and will facilitate various sectors, including tourism, business, culture, and research.

Experts say this initiative will highlight the GCC as a unified tourism hub and further boost the region's economy.