GCC Tourist Visa Delayed, With Rollout Now Planned For 2026

Gulf travelers will have to wait a bit longer to experience borderless tourism across six nations, as the GCC's joint visa project faces a revised timeline.

The rollout of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) unified tourist visa has been delayed to 2026. Initially set for a 2025 launch, the visa’s implementation has now been postponed due to ongoing technical and security preparations across the member states.

The visa, also known as the GCC Grand Tours Visa, is being developed to allow seamless travel across the six Gulf countries: the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain. 

Initially approved by GCC interior ministers in November 2023, the visa was planned to enter a pilot phase by the end of 2025. However, progress in finalizing the infrastructure and data-sharing systems has taken longer than expected. Minister Al-Khateeb confirmed in late 2025 that while inter-governmental collaboration had advanced significantly, the system’s full readiness required additional work.

Authorities say the delay is due to the complex nature of aligning immigration protocols, security standards, and backend technologies across all participating nations. A phased testing process will now be prioritized to validate the system before its full release.

Despite the postponement, tourism leaders across the region remain optimistic about the visa’s potential. Once operational, the unified visa is expected to significantly boost regional travel, increase average visitor stays, and reduce barriers for international tourists.

According to UN Tourism data, the GCC region welcomed over 68 million international visitors in 2023. However, travel within the region only accounted for just over a quarter of that total. Officials estimate that the unified visa could increase intra-GCC tourism by at least 20%, with average stays projected to rise from 3.5 nights to nearly seven.

Saudi Arabia, which aims to attract 150 million visitors annually by 2030, and Dubai, which surpassed 18 million in 2024, both see the initiative as central to their long-term tourism strategies. The unified visa is also seen as a cornerstone of the region’s broader economic diversification efforts.

While the delay may disappoint some travelers and industry stakeholders, GCC authorities say the extra time will allow them to deliver a secure and efficient visa system that benefits all member states. The final version is expected to support a more connected tourism landscape and strengthen the Gulf’s position as a global travel hub.