Middle East's Schengen style GCC Visa to start rolling out for GCC nationals this month
GCC nations are set to trial a new "one-stop" travel system in December 2025, initially between the UAE and Bahrain. This initiative aims to streamline immigration and security, allowing travelers to complete checks only at departure. Successful t...
By ET Online |
Agencies
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will start testing its new “one-stop” travel system in December 2025, allowing GCC nationals on select routes to complete immigration and security procedures only at the airport of departure, as reported by Fragomen. The trial will apply to flights between the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, marking the first step toward a wider regional rollout.
Under the pilot system, travellers will not repeat immigration or security checks after landing in the other GCC country. The plan aims to ease airport congestion, shorten waiting times and create a smoother travel experience within the region.
If the trial performs well, the system could extend across all six member countries, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The initiative also signals early groundwork for future projects. Officials may later consider expanding the simplified process to non-GCC nationals.
This could align with the proposed GCC Grand Tours Visa, which would allow travellers from outside the bloc to move across GCC countries on a single visa.
Under the pilot system, travellers will not repeat immigration or security checks after landing in the other GCC country. The plan aims to ease airport congestion, shorten waiting times and create a smoother travel experience within the region.
If the trial performs well, the system could extend across all six member countries, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The long-awaited unified tourist visa for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has been formally approved and will be launched soon. The visa, inspired by the European Schengen model, will let travellers to move across GCC nations under a single travel document.
Here are the countries you can visit, and a complete travel itinerary for each.
The initiative also signals early groundwork for future projects. Officials may later consider expanding the simplified process to non-GCC nationals.
This could align with the proposed GCC Grand Tours Visa, which would allow travellers from outside the bloc to move across GCC countries on a single visa.
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