Bahrain and other Gulf states unanimously approve unified tourist visa

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

A single tourist visa has been authorised by the GCC countries, facilitating travel between the six countries for both residents and citizens.

At the 40th meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council's interior ministers, held in Muscat, the capital of Oman, under the supervision of Sayyed Hamoud bin Faisal Al Busaidi, the current session's president and interior minister of Oman, the statement was made.

The interior ministers of the GCC member states were present at the conference.

To make it easier for citizens and residents to travel between the six member nations, the ministers accepted the idea of creating a single Gulf tourist visa.

The move would surely benefit the travel, tourism and economy sectors.

According to GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, the proposal to unify GCC tourist visas is a significant accomplishment.

A single Gulf tourist visa has received agreement from GCC tourism ministers, according to a statement made by UAE Minister of Economy Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri last month.

Implementation of the visa is expected to take place between 2024 and 2025, subject to internal laws in each nation.

To bring in and keep tourists in the region to strengthen economic integration, this visa will enable its holders to travel to all six nations.

The proposal to electronically link traffic violations between the GCC countries was also authorised by the ministers for its initial phase.

Along with that, they passed an order to create a comprehensive Gulf strategy aimed at fighting narcotics, which have grown to be a problem for the Gulf as well as for society worldwide.