The Gulf Cooperation Council recently approved a unified tourist visa, similar to the European Schengen visa, for the member states Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates in an effort to increase tourism in the Gulf countries during the 40th meeting of the Interior Ministers. Once implemented, the unified visa for the Gulf countries will undoubtedly streamline travel-related processes.
Theoretically, this single travel visa will be identical to the Schengen visa in Europe, which already permits travellers to enter 27 member nations with just one visa. Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland are the 27 nations that make up the Schengen area.
According to reports, the Gulf countries would implement a unified tourist visa in 2024–2025. It is anticipated that as a result, people who want to visit other Gulf nations would now be able to do so with ease thanks to more straightforward travel arrangements. Travellers who wish to visit many Gulf nations in a single trip currently have to apply for individual visas for each country.
The only Gulf nations that do not now require a visa for holders of Indian passports are Oman and Qatar. Currently, Indian nationals travelling to nations like Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates need to obtain an electronic visa, or e-visa.