The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is moving ahead with its long-awaited “Schengen-style” visa, which is officially called the GCC Grand Tours (Unified Tourist) Visa, with plans to launch a pilot phase in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Here’s the latest update on what to expect:
What is the GCC Unified Visa?
- The visa aims to let non-GCC nationals travel across the six member states (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman) using a single permit, rather than applying for separate visas per country.
- Applicants may have the option to choose either a single-country visa or a multi-country (all six nations) visa.
- The exact validity period, cost, and other technical details (e.g., whether visa-on-arrival is permitted) have not been officially confirmed, though 30- to 90-day stays are often cited by commentators.
- The visa is intended for tourism and family visits; it is not designed for long-term residency or work purposes.
Related: GCC Countries Have Approved a Unified Visa – The Schengen Visa of The Gulf region
Pilot Phase: What the Trial Will Likely Look Like
Timing & Purpose
- The pilot (trial) phase is slated for Q4 2025.
- It will serve as a test run to validate systems, manage coordination, test out border processes, and cross-country interoperability before the full roll-out, which we anticipate to be in 2026.
- Ministries of Interior and passport departments of GCC states are already collaborating in technical teams to finalize processes.
Who Will Be Included in the Pilot?
- As of now, there have been no confirmed nationality restrictions regarding the pilot.
- Current reports suggest the pilot will be open to non-GCC nationals (tourists and residents. That is, those who would otherwise require separate visas for each GCC country.
- Some people who are close to the matter anticipate that the pilot may initially focus on residents within GCC countries (i.e., foreign expats living in one GCC state who want to travel to others), still speculative.
What the Pilot Could Feature
- An online portal for application, where you will be able to upload your documents, track status, and make payment.
- Applicants might have to submit standard supporting documents: that is, valid passport (with sufficient validity), photos, proof of accommodation, travel insurance, proof of financial means, and an onward/return ticket.
Related: New UAE Visa Requirement: You Must Submit a Photo of Your Passport Cover - Once approved, the visa may be delivered electronically (e-visa) to the traveler’s email address.
- The pilot may restrict certain features (e.g. visa-on-arrival) until systems are fully tested.
- Border control and immigration systems across GCC states will need to be synchronized to recognize and validate the unified visa.
Related: Countries That are Eligible for Visa on Arrival for UAE
What Remains Unclear (and What to Watch For)
- Exact start date: Ministers have confirmed Q4 2025, but no specific day or month is yet published.
- Cost & fees: There has been no public announcement yet on the cost of the unified visa.
- Validity & duration: Will the visa allow stays of 30, 60, or 90 days? Will it be single-entry or multiple-entry?
- Passport/nationality limitations: It remains to be seen whether some nationalities will be excluded initially or even later on, once it is fully rolled out.
- Full roll-out timeline: The pilot is intended to test and refine. Full implementation may take more time, but we anticipate it will be live in 2026.
