A New GCC Visa Could Launch Soon

A new GCC visa structure could soon be in place that boosts tourism across the region. So, if you currently live in Dubai, it should soon be much easier to make the trip to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

What’s more, the plans – currently in their very early stages – look set to apply to UAE residents, as well as nationals.

The proposed structure was discussed by the UAE’s Minister of Economy, Abdulla bin Touq, this week.

As reported in The National, he said: “I think that is something which has been on the table. It’s been complementing all the GCC strategies on tourism.

“Hopefully, we are going to see something around a pan-GCC visa which will allow easier mobility of people within the GCC. A resident of Saudi, for instance, can enter the UAE and vice versa. I think that’s where we see the future of GCC tourism.

“The UAE has built an infrastructure to really accommodate all these types of tourism over the years.”

The launch date of such a visa remains unclear, so stay tuned to Hotspot Dubai for all the latest updates.

It comes after a string of changes to the UAE visa structure over the past couple of years.