The new “GCC Grand Tours” visa that was inspired by the EU’s Schengen-style visa, will allow freedom of movement between residents in the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries, which are the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. This is also a unified visa for short stays (up to 90 days) for 29 European countries.
The new single Gulf travel visa is expected to be launched next year after four years of collaboration among the six GCC nations.
As part of the implementation process, travellers will soon be able to apply online for a unified GCC visa through a digital platform.
No more necessity to apply for six separate visas
Visa-free travel is already available for citizens of GCC countries across the region, but the GCC Grand Tours Visa will enable the millions of foreign nationals living in the region to travel freely.
It will simplify the process of getting visas and will likely have a longer validity period and lower overall costs compared to obtaining six separate visas. The visa is aimed at encouraging tourism within the region and growing each nation’s tourist economy.
Applicants will likely be able to choose between one-country or six-country access and the validity period of the visa may be between 30 and 90 days. The six GCC nations are working closely together to keep pace with technological developments across the world and to meet the security requirements of each country.
New visa to offer more consistency and convenience
For now, residents have different conditions for travelling within the GCC, so the introduction of the new GCC Unified Tourist Visa will allow for more consistency and convenience.
For example, UAE citizens do not need a visa to enter Saudi Arabia and can stay for up to 90 days but people just living in the UAE and who are not citizens, need a visa. Qatar allows citizens of more than 100 countries to enter visa-free. Lengths of stay vary, and conditions will be different depending on nationality.
The visa fees for GCC residents are estimated to be around $90-$130. The processing time for most applications is expected to be between three days to a week. Express options for processing may be introduced later on.
Saudi Arabia launches first-of-its-kind ‘Visa by Profile’
Saudi Arabia has unveiled a world-first ‘Visa by Profile’ system to issue tourist visas in minutes through digital integration with Visa credit cards.
The new system allows eligible Visa cardholders to apply for and receive an electronic tourist visa within minutes using only their passport details and card information. By analysing financial profiles through issuing banks, the platform verifies solvency and eligibility, ensuring compliance with national requirements while also reducing processing times.
The programme is expected to roll out in 2026, with plans to expand beyond Visa as more global banks and card issuers join the network.
It forms part of Saudi Arabia’s broader tourism strategy under Vision 2030 to attract higher-value visitors and reach its revised target of 150 million annual tourists by the end of the decade.
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