6 Gulf Countries to Launch Unified Schengen-Style Tourist Visa

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6 Gulf Countries to Launch Unified Schengen-Style Tourist Visa

Big News: 6 Gulf Countries to Launch Unified Schengen-Style Tourist Visa by Late 2025

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A new era for Gulf travel is here! The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has officially approved a unified Schengen-style tourist visa, making it possible for travelers to explore six Arab countries on a single visa — no more multiple applications or embassy runs!

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🗺️ What is the GCC Unified Tourist Visa?

Nicknamed the “GCC Grand Tours Visa”, this all-new visa program is inspired by Europe’s famous Schengen Visa. It will let tourists enter one GCC nation and travel freely across the other five.

Benefits:
✅ One visa for six countries
✅ Smoother travel and less paperwork
✅ Boosted regional tourism and business travel
✅ Stronger economic ties in the Gulf

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🌟 Which Six Countries Are Included?

The unified visa will cover the entire GCC bloc:

Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦
United Arab Emirates (UAE) 🇦🇪
Oman 🇴🇲
Qatar 🇶🇦
Kuwait 🇰🇼
Bahrain 🇧🇭

So whether you dream of Dubai’s skyscrapers, Doha’s modern skyline, Oman’s beaches, or Saudi Arabia’s futuristic Neom — you’ll soon do it all under one travel permit.

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📅 When Will It Start?

Here’s what we know so far:

The GCC Interior Ministers approved the unified visa plan in November 2023 during a meeting in Oman.
GCC Secretary-General Jassem Al-Budaiwi confirmed that technical rollout is almost complete.
The visa system is expected to be fully operational by late 2025 or early 2026.

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✈️ Why This Matters?

For tourists, digital nomads, and tour operators, this is huge:
One visa, six destinations
✨ Saves time, money, and paperwork
✨ Perfect for regional tourism packages, business trips, and cross-border adventures
✨ Positions the Gulf as a global tourism hotspot

UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri says this landmark move will transform the visitor experience and attract millions more tourists to the region.

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📌 Is This Official?

Yes — this isn’t a rumor! The news is backed by:

Statements from GCC Secretary-General Jassem Al-Budaiwi
Confirmation by the UAE Ministry of Economy
Official press releases via Saudi Press Agency and coverage by Khaleej Times, Euronews, Economic Times, and Times of India.

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Sources

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Ready for a Gulf adventure? 🌴🌆 This is your sign to start planning — soon you’ll hop from Dubai to Doha to Muscat visa hassle-free!

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