The unified GCC tourist visa—frequently likened to Europe’s Schengen system—is moving closer to reality, with a pilot rollout expected by the fourth quarter of 2025, according to Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council.
Al Marri told the Emirates News Agency (WAM): “This initiative is an integral part of the GCC 2030 tourism strategy, designed to elevate the tourism sector’s contribution to the GDP through increased inter-GCC travel and elevated hotel occupancy rates, transforming the GCC into a pre-eminent global destination for both regional and international tourists.”
Toward borderless travel across the Gulf
Also known as the GCC Grand Tourist Visa, the unified visa will allow travelers to move freely across all six Gulf Cooperation Council member states—the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain—using a single entry permit. The system, approved by GCC ministers in 2023, represents one of the region’s most ambitious steps toward integrated tourism.
The visa will be powered by a digital application platform, enabling visitors to plan multi-country Gulf itineraries seamlessly and with fewer administrative hurdles.
Al Marri reiterated that the initiative would boost cross-border tourism and strengthen the region’s global competitiveness as one connected destination.
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Phased implementation
The unified GCC visa will follow a phased rollout, beginning with a pilot phase at the end of 2025, before full deployment across all member states.
Once fully operational, the initiative is expected to enhance mobility, simplify travel, and further position the GCC as one of the world’s most accessible and attractive tourism destinations.
