GCC Grand Tours Visa: Status for UAE Residents in October 2026

The idea of one tourist visa for all six Gulf states comes up in almost every conversation we have about winter trips around the region. Several websites now carry detailed pages with prices, durations and launch dates. We have checked what the Gulf Cooperation Council and the reporting on its statements actually say, and the honest position is simpler: the visa has been approved in principle and is being prepared, but it is not open and its rules have not been announced. This guide sets out what is known, what is not, and how to plan a Gulf trip from the UAE in the meantime.

Where things stand in October 2026

The six GCC states are the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait. The plan is for a single tourist visa that lets a visitor travel between them on one permit instead of applying to each country separately.

• December 2024: the final statement of the GCC Supreme Council’s 45th session welcomed the work of the interior ministers’ committee on the unified tourist visa and asked the ministers to follow it up.
• July 2025: the GCC Secretariat General said the passport departments of the GCC interior ministries were working to launch the project in the near future.
• November 2025: Gulf News reported, after remarks by the Saudi tourism minister in Manama, that the visa was set to go live in 2026. Earlier timelines had already moved more than once.
• 6 September 2026: speaking in Riyadh, GCC Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi said the unified visa would launch soon. Khaleej Times reported that he gave no launch date and that the cost, validity and application process had not been announced.

We checked the GCC Secretariat General’s news page again on 25 October 2026. The latest items, dated 23 to 25 October, contain no launch announcement. If that changes, we will update this page.

What has not been announced

None of the following has been published by the GCC Secretariat or a member state government:

• a launch date, or a date for any pilot phase;
• the fee;
• how long the visa lasts and how many days you can stay in each country;
• who can apply, including whether residents of a GCC state get a separate route;
• the website or app where you would apply.

So if a page quotes you a price, a 30 day stay or a firm month for the launch, treat it as a guess. Some of those sites are not run by any government, and a few say so in their small print. Do not pay anyone to “pre register” you for a visa that has no application system yet.

Does it matter if you already live in the UAE?

If you hold UAE residence you do not need a visa to be in the UAE, so for most of our clients the question is how to visit the other five Gulf states. The unified visa is described as a tourist visa for foreign visitors, and nothing official yet says how it will treat people who already live in a GCC country. Many UAE residents already have a country by country option that works well, and depending on your passport and residence that may stay the simpler choice even after the single visa launches. We will compare the two once the rules are published.

How to plan a Gulf trip today

Until the single visa is live, treat each country as its own application. Rules depend on your nationality and your UAE residence, and they change from time to time, so always check the official portal for your own passport before you book.

• Saudi Arabia: visit visas are issued online. Our guide to the Saudi visa for UAE residents explains the GCC resident route and where to apply.
• Qatar: applications go through the Hayya platform at hayya.qa. See our Qatar visa guide for UAE residents.
• Oman: check the Royal Oman Police eVisa portal at evisa.rop.gov.om.
• Kuwait: check the Kuwait Ministry of Interior visa portal at kuwaitvisa.moi.gov.kw.
• Bahrain: check Bahrain’s government eVisa portal at evisa.gov.bh.

If your trip covers two or more of these countries, apply for each visa separately and in good time, and book flights and hotels you can change. The UAE National Day weekend and the school winter break are busy periods, so read our National Day and winter break 2026 visa deadlines before you fix dates. If you are a Gulf citizen rather than a resident, our note on the EU Gulf visa waiver process covers a different change that may affect your trips to Europe.

What to watch for when it launches

When the GCC or a member state publishes the rules, these are the points that will decide whether the single visa is worth it for you:

1. Whether it is open to your nationality, and whether UAE residents need it at all.
2. The total stay allowed and whether it is split between countries.
3. Whether you must enter through a particular country first.
4. The fee compared with the separate visas you would otherwise buy.
5. The official application website, so you can avoid copycat sites.

How Visa Doctor helps

We can check which route fits your passport and residence for each Gulf country, help you prepare the documents and explain what the official portal will ask for. Every visa decision is made by the government of the country you are visiting, and we never promise an outcome. See our visa services in Dubai for how we work.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• GCC Secretariat General, Final Statement of the Supreme Council, 45th session (1 December 2024), checked 25 October 2026.
• GCC Secretariat General, statement on the unified tourist visa project (2 July 2025), checked 25 October 2026.
• GCC Secretariat General, news page, checked 25 October 2026.
• Khaleej Times, One visa for 6 Gulf countries: GCC chief says scheme will launch soon (8 September 2026), checked 25 October 2026.
• Gulf News, GCC unified visa to be launched in 2026 (November 2025), checked 25 October 2026.
• Official portals: Hayya, Qatar, Royal Oman Police eVisa, Kuwait Ministry of Interior visa portal, Bahrain eVisa, checked 25 October 2026.

Last reviewed October 2026. Visa rules, fees and processing times change frequently. Always confirm current requirements on the official government or consulate website before booking travel. Visa Doctor is a licensed private service provider (SPC Free Zone 4417571.01) and is not a government authority; we do not issue visas.