My family is on Visat Visa from 07th Nov. 2024 and she stayed in KSA till her valid 18 Nov. 2025 after that we applied for extension 3 days till 10 Jan. 2026.. Now we want to know more extension visa its possble to get more 3 months
Travellers planning multi-stop trips across the Arabian Gulf will need to wait longer. The GCC unified tourist visa missed its expected 2025 launch and is now projected to roll out later in 2026.
The visa is intended to allow travel across multiple Gulf countries through a single application, covering destinations such as the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.
The revised timeline was confirmed in early November, when authorities said more time was needed to complete the project. The delay reflects the work required to align systems across 6 countries with different immigration rules and border controls.
The unified visa, known as the GCC Grand Tours Visa, received approval from GCC interior ministers in November 2023 and was expected to enter a trial phase by late 2025. That plan has since changed. While technical work and internal testing continue, authorities now say a full public rollout is more likely in later 2026 due to the scale of policy, technology, and security coordination involved.
Security coordination is a key challenge. A shared visa system requires real-time data exchange between immigration authorities while allowing each country to maintain control over its borders. Aligning these processes to meet international security standards takes time.
Technology is another factor. The visa depends on a central digital platform linking passport records, border checkpoints, and national databases. Authorities want the system to reliably manage high volumes, especially during peak travel periods.
There has also been a change in approach. Rather than meeting an earlier deadline, GCC states are moving forward with phased testing. This gradual rollout, extending into 2026, aims to reduce risks before public launch.
Once launched, the GCC Unified Tourist Visa is intended to simplify travel across the region. Travellers would apply once and travel between all 6 member states, rather than arranging separate visas for each country.
Authorities have indicated that travellers may be able to choose between a visa covering a single GCC country or a multi-country option. Final details have not yet been confirmed, but the visa is expected to support short stays and encourage trips that include more than one Gulf destination.
Regional travel continues to increase. In 2024, more than 3.3 million visitors from GCC countries travelled to the UAE, accounting for about 11% of hotel guests. Saudi Arabia represented the largest share, followed by Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar.
Until the unified visa is introduced, travellers must continue to follow existing entry rules for each destination. Existing visa systems, such as the Saudi Arabia eVisa, remain unchanged while technical work on the GCC unified visa continues.
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