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GCC Unified Tourist Visa Awaits Launch in Six States

The GCC unified tourist visa is approved but lacks a launch date, so foreign visitors must still follow separate national entry requirements.

Joshua September 7, 2026 · 2 minute read

Sparse desert shrubs across a sandy plain under a clear sky. — Image is AI-generated

The planned GCC unified tourist visa is designed to replace separate tourist visa applications where they are required for a trip across Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It would treat the six member states as one travel destination, but the scheme is not operating and the practical terms remain largely unpublished. A single permit could therefore matter most to people combining multiple Gulf stops under the planned model, rather than those visiting a single state.

What changed

The project is approved, but it has no effective date. On September 6, 2026, GCC Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi said it would launch soon, according to the Saudi Gazette. The statement set no timetable and did not confirm that applications can be submitted. A pilot had been expected in the fourth quarter of 2025, yet the visa was still awaiting launch in September 2026.

The project is intended to strengthen Gulf integration, simplify travel between the member states for foreign visitors, lift regional tourism and hotel occupancy, and market the region as one tourism destination. No detail has been published on how the plan will be put into operation.

Who is affected

The final nationality eligibility list has not been released, and neither have fees, permitted stay, visa validity, number of entries, required documents, processing times or the application procedure. The permit is planned for travel across all six states rather than entry to only one. GCC citizens are not the target group, and their existing entry arrangements remain separate. It also remains unclear whether rules will vary by passport type.

What travelers should do

Until an official launch, travelers should check and meet the separate visa requirements for each destination on their itinerary. They should not rely on the unified visa until the GCC publishes an effective date, eligibility rules and an official application portal. Travelers also need to confirm the eventual fee, stay limit, validity period and entry allowance before making plans. Existing national procedures continue to govern travel for now.