GCC Unified Visa 2026The "Grand Tours" Visa - Status & Today's Gulf Entry Rules

Approved & announced · not yet live per our dataset

Member states
6
Visa-free grants (all 6)
109
Visa on arrival grants
368
eTA / e-Visa grants
331

What Is the GCC Unified Tourist Visa?

The six Gulf Cooperation Council states - United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait - have approved a Schengen-style joint tourist visa, announced under the "GCC Grand Tours" name. The concept: one application, one authorisation, tourism travel across all six countries - the way a single Schengen visa covers the Schengen area.

Status: approved and announced, but not yet live per our dataset - every Gulf entry rule we record is still issued per state. No launch date or fee is stated here; confirm rollout status on official GCC or member-state channels before planning a multi-country trip around it.

The Six GCC Member States

How open each member is today, from our dataset - counts are nationalities admitted at each level.

🇦🇪United Arab Emirates

6 visa-free · 47 on arrival · 145 eTA/e-visa

🇸🇦Saudi Arabia

6 visa-free · 0 on arrival · 63 eTA/e-visa

🇶🇦Qatar

5 visa-free · 85 on arrival · 0 eTA/e-visa

🇴🇲Oman

82 visa-free · 0 on arrival · 116 eTA/e-visa

🇧🇭Bahrain

5 visa-free · 183 on arrival · 7 eTA/e-visa

🇰🇼Kuwait

5 visa-free · 53 on arrival · 0 eTA/e-visa

Until It Launches: Visa Rules per GCC State

Today you still deal with six separate visa systems. The matrix below shows the entry level each state grants to popular passports, computed from our official-source dataset. "Visa required" means no visa-free, on-arrival, eTA or e-visa grant is recorded - apply in advance.

Passport🇦🇪UAE🇸🇦Saudi Arabia🇶🇦Qatar🇴🇲Oman🇧🇭Bahrain🇰🇼Kuwait
🇮🇳Indiae-Visa 90dVisa requiredOn arrival 30de-VisaOn arrivalVisa required
🇵🇰Pakistane-Visa 90dVisa requiredVisa requirede-VisaOn arrivalVisa required
🇵🇭Philippinese-Visa 90dVisa requiredOn arrival 30dVisa-free 14dOn arrivalVisa required
🇪🇬Egypte-Visa 90dVisa requiredVisa requirede-VisaOn arrivalVisa required
🇺🇸United StatesOn arrival 90de-Visa 90dOn arrival 90dVisa-free 14dOn arrivalOn arrival 90d
🇬🇧United KingdomOn arrival 90de-Visa 90dOn arrival 30dVisa-free 14dOn arrivalOn arrival 90d

Dataset last updated 2026-06-29. Check each destination page for full nationality lists.

Already a GCC Resident? Your Permit Unlocks Neighbours

The closest live thing to a unified Gulf visa: our dataset records credential-based access for GCC residence-permit holders into other member states, regardless of nationality - commonly limited to permits valid 3+ months and, in some states, to eligible professions.

  • 🇧🇭Bahraine-Visa · 90d
  • 🇰🇼KuwaitOn arrival · 90d
  • 🇴🇲OmanVisa-free · 14d
  • 🇴🇲OmanOn arrival · 28d
  • 🇶🇦Qatare-Visa · 30d
  • 🇸🇦Saudi ArabiaOn arrival · 90d

Conditions differ per state (profession lists, permit validity, family riders) - verify on each state's official portal before travelling.

GCC Unified Visa FAQ

What is the GCC unified visa (Grand Tours visa)?

It is a planned Schengen-style joint tourist visa approved by the six Gulf Cooperation Council states - United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait - announced under the "GCC Grand Tours" name. One application would allow travel across all six countries, instead of today's separate per-state visas. It has been approved at GCC level, but this page treats it strictly as announced/upcoming: confirm rollout status on official GCC or member-state channels before planning around it.

Is the GCC unified visa available now?

Not per our dataset. Every Gulf entry rule we record is still issued by an individual state - a UAE visa does not admit you to Saudi Arabia, and so on. No launch date or fee is stated here because none has been confirmed in our official-source data; check official announcements for current status.

Which countries will the GCC unified visa cover?

The six GCC member states: United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait. The announced concept covers tourism travel across all six with a single authorisation, similar to how one Schengen visa covers the Schengen area.

Do I need separate visas for each Gulf country today?

Yes - each state decides its own policy, and access differs sharply by passport. For example, per our dataset, 183 nationalities get visa on arrival in Bahrain while Saudi Arabia offers its tourist e-visa to 63 nationalities. Check each destination page, or the matrix on this page, for your passport.

Does a GCC residence permit already unlock travel between Gulf states?

Partially, yes. Our dataset records credential-based access for GCC residence-permit holders to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia - typically visa on arrival or e-visa, often limited to eligible professions and permits valid 3+ months. Conditions vary per state; verify on each state's official portal.

Gulf Visa Guides by Nationality

Detailed entry rules, stay limits and document notes for popular Gulf trips.

Related Guides

Check your visa options for every Gulf state

Enter your passport to see your current entry level for the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait - including credential-based routes.

Check visa requirements on Earth Visa →