GCC unified tourist visa enters final technical stage

Six-country permit advances after ministerial approval#

The GCC unified tourist visa has entered its final technical and regulatory preparation phase, GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi confirmed on September 6, 2026 during the Security and History Dialogue in Riyadh. The permit will cover the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait under a single authorisation, allowing international visitors to travel between all six member states on one visa. Albudaiwi stated the scheme would "see the light soon" but did not specify a launch date, cost, validity period or application process. The unified tourist visa was approved by GCC interior ministers in Muscat in November 2023, following unanimous approval by GCC tourism ministers in October 2023.

Technical coordination underway between member states#

The project has progressed beyond political approval into technical coordination between relevant authorities across the six countries. Implementation is being handled by interior ministries and other regulatory bodies, with digital coordination and regulatory alignment work undertaken since the November 2023 approval. The system is designed to function similarly to other multi-country tourism visa models, replacing separate visa applications for different Gulf countries with a single regional authorisation. UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri confirmed in June 2025 that the unified permit had been approved and was awaiting implementation.

Separate from GCC citizen travel streamlining project#

The unified tourist visa is distinct from the one-stop travel system for GCC citizens launched in pilot phase between the UAE and Bahrain in February 2026. That system, connecting Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain International Airport, uses electronic connectivity, biometric verification and e-gates to process passenger information before arrival, allowing GCC citizens to complete travel procedures at a single point before departure. The GCC approved the one-stop travel system in November 2025, with the UAE and Bahrain selected to pilot it. The unified tourist visa targets foreign visitors rather than GCC nationals.

Single permit to replace separate applications#

The unified permit will allow visitors to access multiple Gulf destinations through a single tourism authorisation instead of managing separate visa applications for different countries. Each of the six participating countries offers different tourism experiences ranging from luxury cities and cultural attractions to natural landscapes. Albudaiwi referenced the visa while listing integration projects aimed at making movement between GCC countries easier, alongside the UAE-Bahrain single-point air travel project and existing frameworks including the GCC Free Trade Area, Customs Union and Common Market.