GCC Grand Tours Visa Nears Launch Date

The GCC Grand Tours Visa will be launched in the near future, according to a statement made by the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jassim Al-Budaiwi.

Al-Budaiwi shared this latest update at the 39th meeting of the GCC Passport Directors-General held at the General Secretariat’s headquarters in Riyadh on Wednesday. The heads of immigration of each of the six GCC countries and the head of the GCC were present at this high-level meeting.

The Secretary-General said that the passport departments of the interior ministries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have been working closely towards the launch of the GCC Unified visa by holding joint technical meetings.

Al-Budaiwi praised the efforts undertaken by the GCC countries to collaborate and exchange information and expertise in the passports and immigration field. He added that their close cooperation contributes to enhanced security and greater mobility within the region, serving the needs of both the leaders and citizens of the Gulf.

The GCC Grand Tours visa, or the GCC Unified visa, is a groundbreaking initiative that will revolutionize travel for both GCC residents and international travelers. Once launched, foreign nationals will only need to apply for a single, unified visa to visit all six GCC countries. This will allow for seamless movement across the region. 

Applications for the visa will be lodged online on the GCC Grand Tours website, which will be launched in the near future. The new visa is highly anticipated as it will increase the number of tourist arrivals, boosting the economic growth in the region.