The unified visa for residents coming from neighboring countries to the United Arab Emirates and moving freely has received the necessary approvals and has already entered into force. The new tourist visa allows entry into the UAE for those coming from the Haliji Town Council countries and move freely within the Emirati lands without obstacles, and includes the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The following countries: (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait).
Tourist visa to attract tourists
This new visa, which was officially approved and is now in effect by the Gulf Cooperation Council, permits its holder to travel six nations on a consolidated tourist visa. It focuses on attracting tourists and retaining them in Gulf Cooperation Council countries for a longer period of time, hence improving Gulf economic integration.
The unified tourist visa for Gulf Cooperation Council countries aims to increase the number of incoming trips to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at a 7 percent annual rate, indicating that the number of visitors to the Gulf countries reached 39.8 million last year, with a growth rate of 136.6 percent compared to 2021, with a goal of reaching 128.7 million by 2030.
The total number of hotel establishments in the GCC countries
Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy, confirmed that the Gulf countries have a developed and qualified infrastructure for the travel and tourism sector. The overall number of hotel establishments there is expected to reach 10,649 by the end of 2022, representing a 1.2 percent increase over 2016.
The UAE has 1,114 hotel businesses, ranking second among Gulf states after the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, while the overall number of rooms in Gulf hotel establishments reached 674,832 rooms, a 0.4 percent increase.
Linking traffic violations between member states electronically
It is worth noting that the new agreement that was signed between the member states also includes a project to link their violations electronically, and this agreement aims to restore the comprehensive strategy to combat violators residing in the member states.
The new agreement also aims to facilitate the movement and entry of citizens of member states into any of their countries without any complexity, and this matter will of course have many positive repercussions, whether on the tourism or economic sector.
Entry visa requirements for residents of the UAE from GCC countries
1- A valid passport, or travel document valid to enter the country.
2- A copy of the residence permit or an electronic extract stating the profession and validity of residence
3- A personal photo (white background).
Gulf Schengen visa
It is worth noting that the Gulf Cooperation Council countries' unified tourist visa aims to facilitate movement for both residents and visitors within the Gulf countries, building on the success of the Schengen visa in Europe. The Schengen visa is largely intended for short-term tourist, however it does provide provisions for longer visits. Long-term for employment, school, or other specific reasons.
The Schengen concept has provided significant economic benefits to the countries that have joined it. According to the European Commission website, intra-European trade has expanded since its inception, promoting company growth.
Requesting a Gulf Cooperation Council tourist visa to enter the Uae
- Navigate to https://smart.gdrfad.gov.ae.
- Create an account.
- Select the service
- Enter the information
- Pay any outstanding fees.
- After approval, the visa is emailed to the user.
