Unified GCC Visa Trial to Begin by Year-End 2025

UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri has confirmed that the pilot phase of the unified Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) tourist visa is set to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025, with full implementation to follow at a later stage.

Al Marri had previously remarked during the UAE Hospitality Summer Camp in June that the project was awaiting final procedural steps before activation. “The visa is approved and is now in the hands of the interior ministry and key stakeholders,” he stated at the time.

Momentum behind the initiative has accelerated in recent weeks. Jassim Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, confirmed earlier this month that the Unified Tourist Visa is nearing its final clearance phase. 

The system has been in the works for several years, with regional leaders pushing for stronger travel ties and integrated tourism strategies across the Gulf.

Though authorities have yet to announce the visa’s cost, length of stay, or launch date, officials believe it will boost tourism flows across member states and generate widespread economic benefits. 

Industry analysts anticipate that the UAE and Saudi Arabia, already top destinations in the region, will receive the bulk of the initial tourism traffic under the new system. 

The project aims to position the Gulf as a unified tourism destination by removing current entry barriers that require separate visas for each country. Officials say this will increase the region’s global competitiveness, drive tourism revenue, and expand visitor itineraries across multiple destinations in a single trip.

The plan was originally endorsed by the GCC Supreme Council in 2023 to simplify cross-border travel and enhance the region’s position as a unified tourism destination.