Gulf Cooperation Council | Regional tourist visa approved

The Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) six member states unanimously approved the introduction of the unified tourist visa

Key Points:

• The GCC’s member states are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
• The countries unanimously approved the new visa at the GCC summit in Muscat, Oman on Nov. 8.
• Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, the UAE’s minister of economy, previously confirmed that the unified tourist visa will allow visa holders to travel across the six Gulf countries and it will be rolled out within the next two years.

BAL Analysis: The new visa is expected improve convenience for foreign nationals to travel between the six council member states once it is introduced. Details about application criteria, permitted activities and visa validity are not yet available. BAL will provide updates as information becomes available.