In a move that could redraw the mobility map of the Gulf, the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) yesterday approved a “one-stop” airport clearance model and chose the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to run the first live pilot from December 2025.
Under the scheme, travellers will complete immigration, customs and security screening just once—at their point of departure. A Bahraini passenger flying to Dubai, for instance, will clear formalities in Manama; on arrival in the UAE there will be no second inspection. Digital data-sharing between border-control systems will allow authorities in both states to recognise the clearance already granted.
![GCC launches “one-stop” checkpoint; UAE & Bahrain to start pilot in December]()
The pilot was announced after the GCC interior ministers’ meeting in Kuwait City. Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said the goal is to “cut queues, cut duplication and cut costs” while preserving security. Although the trial involves only two states, officials stressed that all six GCC members—UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman—are preparing their systems for full regional rollout if tests succeed.
For businesses operating regional shuttle routes, the implications are significant. Short-haul corporate hops between Dubai, Riyadh and Doha are notorious for long transfer lines; eliminating repeat checks could slice 30-45 minutes off door-to-door journey times. Airlines anticipate higher aircraft and crew utilisation, while airports hope to free up valuable peak-hour gate capacity.
Multinationals are already updating travel policies. HR managers should brief staff that passports will still be stamped—but only once—and that exit procedures may be handled at the departure country’s “one-stop” counter rather than at the arrival airport. Companies with regional rotation schedules may wish to cluster meetings through Bahrain and Dubai during the December-March pilot to test the time savings.
Under the scheme, travellers will complete immigration, customs and security screening just once—at their point of departure. A Bahraini passenger flying to Dubai, for instance, will clear formalities in Manama; on arrival in the UAE there will be no second inspection. Digital data-sharing between border-control systems will allow authorities in both states to recognise the clearance already granted.
The pilot was announced after the GCC interior ministers’ meeting in Kuwait City. Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said the goal is to “cut queues, cut duplication and cut costs” while preserving security. Although the trial involves only two states, officials stressed that all six GCC members—UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman—are preparing their systems for full regional rollout if tests succeed.
For businesses operating regional shuttle routes, the implications are significant. Short-haul corporate hops between Dubai, Riyadh and Doha are notorious for long transfer lines; eliminating repeat checks could slice 30-45 minutes off door-to-door journey times. Airlines anticipate higher aircraft and crew utilisation, while airports hope to free up valuable peak-hour gate capacity.
Multinationals are already updating travel policies. HR managers should brief staff that passports will still be stamped—but only once—and that exit procedures may be handled at the departure country’s “one-stop” counter rather than at the arrival airport. Companies with regional rotation schedules may wish to cluster meetings through Bahrain and Dubai during the December-March pilot to test the time savings.
