RIYADH: Two years after its initial approval, the Gulf Cooperation Council’s long-awaited unified visa has entered its final approval phase — and Saudi Arabia is positioned to emerge as its biggest winner, experts told Arab News.
The new permit, which will allow seamless travel across all six Gulf states, promises to revolutionize regional tourism and business mobility.
But while the entire bloc stands to benefit, the Kingdom’s unique advantages — from its booming religious tourism sector to its aggressive Vision 2030 economic reforms — could make it the visa’s prime beneficiary.
First proposed in 2023 and officially approved last year, the unified GCC visa will enable travelers to move freely between Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE under a single permit.
GCC Secretary General Jassem Al-Budaiwi confirmed earlier in September that the visa is in its final stages, marking a major leap toward a Schengen-style system for the Gulf.
