Destination 
Verified
Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, speaking at the Security and History Dialogue 2026 in Riyadh on 6 September, said the unified Gulf tourist visa would "see the light soon" and make it easier for international visitors to travel across all six member states.
He did not specify a launch date, nor did he provide details about the visa's cost, validity or application process. His remarks came alongside a discussion of other GCC integration projects, including the UAE-Bahrain one-stop air travel system.
Source: Khaleej Times: "One visa for 6 Gulf countries: GCC chief says scheme will launch 'soon'", 8 September 2026. Written by Sahim Salim.
The GCC Grand Tourist Visa is expected to cover all six Gulf Cooperation Council member states:
This mirrors the structure of the European Schengen zone, where a single visa allows movement across 27 member countries. The GCC Grand Tourist Visa would function similarly: one application, one permit, access to all six Gulf states.
The GCC Secretary-General also referenced the UAE-Bahrain One-Point Air Travellers project in the same remarks, but this is a different initiative and should not be confused with the unified tourist visa.
Important: The two projects are complementary but serve different travellers. The one-stop travel system benefits Bahrainis flying to Abu Dhabi. The unified tourist visa would benefit an Indian family planning to visit Dubai, then drive to Oman, then fly home from Doha.
Until the GCC Grand Tourist Visa formally launches with a published process, cost and eligibility list, all existing visa requirements remain in place:
Important: Arabiers will update this page as soon as the GCC Grand Tourist Visa launches with confirmed details. If you are planning a multi-GCC trip and want current visa guidance, contact our team. In the meantime, apply for your UAE tourist visa and Saudi e-visa separately as required.
The GCC states collectively attracted over 50 million tourists in 2025, with Dubai alone recording more than 17 million overnight visitors. A unified tourist visa would significantly reduce the administrative friction of a multi-country Gulf itinerary: currently, a tourist wishing to visit Dubai, then Riyadh, then Muscat, would need separate visas for the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman, with separate applications, fees and processing times for each.
The Schengen comparison is instructive. Before the Schengen zone, tourists visiting Europe faced similar multi-visa complexity. The Schengen visa is now one of the most applied-for travel documents in the world, and it transformed how tourists approach European itineraries. The GCC Grand Tourist Visa, if it launches with similarly broad eligibility, could do the same for Gulf travel.
UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri described the unified permit as "a step towards deeper regional integration and strengthening the Gulf's appeal as a single tourism destination."
Planning a UAE visit now?
Apply for your UAE tourist visa through Arabiers: express processing available. Apply for UAE visit visa
The GCC Grand Tourist Visa is a proposed unified permit that would allow foreign tourists to travel across all six GCC member states: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait, on a single visa. It is modelled on the European Schengen visa and was approved in principle by GCC tourism and interior ministers in late 2023, but has not yet launched as of September 2026.
No. As of September 2026, the GCC Grand Tourist Visa has not launched. The GCC Secretary-General confirmed it will launch "soon" in September 2026, but no date, cost, validity or application process has been announced. Existing visa requirements for each GCC country remain in place.
The GCC Grand Tourist Visa is expected to cover all six GCC member states: the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait. Visitors would be able to travel across all six countries on the single permit.
Yes. The GCC Grand Tourist Visa has not launched. You need a UAE tourist visa for the UAE and a Saudi Arabia visa for Saudi Arabia, applied for separately. Until the unified visa launches with a confirmed process, all existing requirements remain unchanged.
They are two separate projects. The one-stop travel system, piloted in February 2026, allows GCC citizens to complete passport procedures in Bahrain before departure and enter the UAE without stopping at immigration on arrival. It is for GCC nationals, not international tourists. The GCC Grand Tourist Visa is for international visitors and would remove the need for multiple advance visa applications when visiting multiple Gulf states.
Unknown. The GCC Grand Tourist Visa has been described as a tourism permit. Whether it will cover religious travel including Umrah has not been confirmed. Currently, Umrah requires a separate Saudi Arabia visa or an Umrah-specific permit arranged through an approved operator. Check this page for updates as the visa details are announced.