The Schengen Zone started as a project of 5 European countries, back in 1985. The five original participating nations, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, established enhanced mutual trust by setting the stage for removing internal border controls between participating nations while, at the same time, strengthening the protection of the common external borders.
The project has worked out well, and in the past 40 years, the Schengen zone has increased to a bloc of 29 participating nations. 25 are EU Member States and there are also 4 non-EU countries (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein). Cyprus also participates in Schengen, although the internal border control is not yet lifted. Ireland has also requested to partially participate in some part of Schengen, including the Schengen Information System as well as judicial and police cooperation.
For the participating countries, being part of the Schengen zone means a legal framework for police and judicial cooperation, as well as information-sharing between countries, and standardized visa policies.
For travelers who live within the Schengen zone, it means being able to travel between countries with fewer issues at the border. For those who live outside the zone, it means the ability to obtain paperwork for just one entity – the entire Schengen Zone – instead of visas/waivers for each individual country.
Gulf countries
Obviously, other parts of the world have closely watched the developments of the Schengen zone over the years. And it appears that some countries in the Gulf region are preparing to launch their own multi-country tourist visa.
The 6 countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which include:
- Bahrain
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- The United Arab Emirates (UAE)
are preparing to roll out a long-anticipated unified tourist visa. The official launch is expected by the end of 2025 or early 2026. Member countries of the GCC have been preparing for the launch of this visa, which would simplify travelers’ movements in the region, for years.
The new GCC Grand Tours Visa – also referred to as the Unified Tourist Visa – is modeled after the Schengen visa. The plan is for it to allow travelers to move freely between all 6 member states with just one digital application. In turn, the goal is to boost regional tourism, encourage longer stays, and position the Gulf as a collective global travel destination.
Current visa/waiver requirements
Right now, each country has its own requirements:
- Bahrain requires visitors to obtain an e-visa
- As of July 1 of this year, visitors to Kuwait are also required to obtain an e-visa
- Oman offers free visa upon arrival to citizens of about 100 countries (depending on the duration of their stay)
- Qatar also provides free visa upon arrival to citizens of about 100 countries (depending on the duration of their stay)
- Saudi Arabia, like Bahrain and Kuwait, requires visitors to get an e-visa
- The UAE offers a visa upon arrival to visitors from 85 countries and the 5 GCC countries
Why they’re doing it
The visa is the result of growing coordination between GCC tourism ministries. They think it will be a key step in realizing the region’s tourism diversification strategies. By simplifying cross-border travel, the bloc hopes to attract more international visitors by promoting multi-country itineraries. As an example, travelers could organize a trip that starts in Dubai, continues to Muscat, and ends in Riyadh — without the need for separate visa applications.
The unified visa project has been in development for several years. However, it’s gained more momentum as tourism has grown by leaps and bounds across the region.
GCC members are confident that the visa will be available before the end of the year.
H/T: CNT, BusinessToday
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1 comment
How will this affect the current visa rules? Suppose I can go to UAE without visa but need visa to Kuwait, do I have to get this visa to go to both countries or my entry to UAE will grant entry to Kuwait?