Good news for travellers, Gulf countries to roll out Europe's Schengen-style visa, will allow..., here's how to apply

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is set to launch a new Schengen-style tourist visa called GCC Grand Tours Visa, which will allow people to travel across six Gulf countries using jus one permit. This guf countries Schengen-style visa is expected to roll out by late 2025 or early 2026.

About the GCC Grand Tours Visa

The GCC Grand Tours Visa, also known as the Unified GCC Tourist Visa, is a multi-country tourist visa that allows travellers to visit six Gulf countries under one visa, which includes, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait.

This gives a big relief from all the hassle required for getting multiple visas. It is similar to Europe's Schengen style visa, allowing travelling across several European nations. Once you get the GCC grand tours, you can plan a Gulf tour covering cities like Dubai, Riyadh, Doha, Muscat, Manama, and Kuwait City in one go, without any extra paperwork.

The final details of he visa is still not out yet, but it is expected to be valid for 30-90 days. there would be two options for tourists to choose, single-country visa ( one gulf nation) or multi-country visa (two or more).

How to apply?

The details of the application process is still unknown. However, it could be through a central GCC visa portal, where you will have to submit necessary documents. The documents include, a valid passport, recent passport-size photo, proof of accommodation (hotel booking or host invitation), travel insurance valid across GCC countries, bank statement to show financial capability, return or onward flight ticket and payment for the visa fee (online).

Why is this Visa important?

The visa will ensure unified travl across six big gulf nations, that will facilitate better tourism, jobs, investment and economic cooperation. GCC countries have a massive influx of tourist in 2023, with over 68 billion arrivals recorded. 

This visa will save time, money by removing need of multiple visa applications and will ensure a smooth travel experience.