One visa, six gulf nations: What travellers need to know about the upcoming GCC Unified Visa
In a recent update, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is all ready to introduce a new single-entry visa just like Schengen visa. Yes, you read that right. This GCC visa will allow travellers to explore freely across six Gulf countries.
With one visa, visitors will be able to explore Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman. The announcement was made by GCC Secretary General Jassem Al Budaiwi on Wednesday.
The secretary said, "The unified visa reflects the vision of our leaders to strengthen integration and cooperation". This new visa, according to him, will boost travel in the region along with bringing economic benefits by increasing tourism.
The visa was approved in November 2023 during a meeting of GCC interior ministers in Oman. It is similar in concept to the European Schengen visa, which lets people travel across many European countries with a single permit.
Budaiwi also informed that it will use modern technologies to match global security standards. "Involved parties are keen on keeping up with the latest technologies, as well as growing and rapid global security demands," he mentioned.
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Prime features of the GCC Visa
1) When launched, travellers will be able to explore six GCC nations with just one visa.
2) It will only be issued for tourism and family visit purposes.
3) Applicants will have to apply online through an official portal
4) Validity: 30 to 90 days.
5) Visitors can choose from between a single nation and multiple countries.
6) It is said that the visa will be affordable
Documents required
As per Gulf News, those applying for a GCC visa, will need to have a few things:
1) A valid passport
2) A recent passport-sized photo
3) Address of the place where you'll be staying (hotel bookings/invitation letter)
4) Travel insurance
5) Bank statement to financially secure your travel
6) To and from airplane ticket
Purpose of GCC visa
The main purpose of the introduction of GCC, often called the "GCC Grand Tours Visa," is to allow tourists to move freely across the Gulf nations with a single permit without any hassle. This unified travel document will streamline the process by removing the need for individual visas for each nation making regional travel more easy.
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