Tourism ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have formally fixed 2026 as the launch year for a Schengen-style unified tourist visa, according to an announcement published in Dubai on 11 November 2025. Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khatib said the six member states—UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman—have completed the technical roadmap for a single-window application platform that will grant visitors multi-entry access across the bloc for up to 90 days.
Designed to diversify Gulf economies away from hydrocarbons, the “One GCC” visa mirrors Europe’s Schengen area and is expected to cut paperwork, lower costs and lengthen average visitor stays. Officials believe it could unlock millions of extra arrivals, particularly from long-haul markets such as China and India that currently have to apply for separate visas for each destination.
![GCC unified tourist visa confirmed for 2026 launch, boosting seamless Gulf travel]()
Although fee structures are still being finalised, pilot tests will begin in the second half of 2025, with biometric enrolment and security screening shared across national databases. The UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP) said it is upgrading e-border systems at Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports to recognise the new permit.
Corporate travel managers should start forecasting region-wide itineraries under a single compliance regime. The unified visa will make multi-city project work—e.g., a week in Dubai followed by client visits in Riyadh and Doha—far easier, reducing per-diem costs and administrative overheads. However, companies must stay alert to local labour regulations: holding the GCC visa will waive entry checks but not replace individual work permits for paid assignments.
Designed to diversify Gulf economies away from hydrocarbons, the “One GCC” visa mirrors Europe’s Schengen area and is expected to cut paperwork, lower costs and lengthen average visitor stays. Officials believe it could unlock millions of extra arrivals, particularly from long-haul markets such as China and India that currently have to apply for separate visas for each destination.
Although fee structures are still being finalised, pilot tests will begin in the second half of 2025, with biometric enrolment and security screening shared across national databases. The UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP) said it is upgrading e-border systems at Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports to recognise the new permit.
Corporate travel managers should start forecasting region-wide itineraries under a single compliance regime. The unified visa will make multi-city project work—e.g., a week in Dubai followed by client visits in Riyadh and Doha—far easier, reducing per-diem costs and administrative overheads. However, companies must stay alert to local labour regulations: holding the GCC visa will waive entry checks but not replace individual work permits for paid assignments.
