One Visa, Six Countries: GCC Grand Tourist Visa Set to Launch Soon

Travellers planning holidays across the Gulf may soon need just one visa to visit six countries, with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) confirming that its long-awaited unified tourist visa, GCC Grand Tourist Visa, is expected to launch “soon” after years of planning.

The announcement came from GCC Secretary-General Jassem Albudaiwi, who said the bloc is in the final stages of implementing the regional visa scheme. The permit, often compared to Europe’s Schengen visa, is designed to allow tourists to move between Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman under a single travel authorization.

While no official launch date has been announced, GCC officials say technical and administrative preparations are being completed in coordination with the six member states. The visa was approved in principle by Gulf leaders in 2023, and authorities have since been working on the legal and digital infrastructure needed to roll it out.

What the unified visa is expected to cover

The proposed visa is intended primarily for tourism and short-term visits, making it easier for international visitors to explore multiple Gulf destinations during a single trip. Rather than applying separately for each country, eligible travellers would submit one application and receive permission to enter participating GCC states.

Although the final eligibility criteria and fees have yet to be published, officials have indicated that the scheme will support both individual travellers and organised tourism, with digital application systems expected to play a central role.

A boost for Gulf tourism

The visa forms part of a broader regional strategy to position the Gulf as a connected global tourism destination rather than six separate markets. Countries across the GCC have invested heavily in airlines, luxury hospitality, entertainment, heritage tourism and major international events, hoping to encourage visitors to extend their stays across borders.

For travellers, the biggest advantage could be convenience. A visitor arriving in Dubai, for example, could potentially continue on to Doha, Muscat or Riyadh without navigating multiple visa processes, creating more flexible itineraries and reducing administrative barriers.

The unified visa also reflects growing economic cooperation within the GCC beyond trade and infrastructure. By simplifying regional mobility, Gulf states hope to attract more long-haul visitors from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, increasing tourism spending across the bloc rather than concentrating it in a single destination.

If implemented as planned, the GCC’s one-visa system could become one of the most significant travel reforms in the Middle East, reshaping how millions of tourists experience the region and strengthening the Gulf’s ambition to compete with the world’s leading multi-country travel destinations.