There’s been a lot of back and forth on Schengen visas for UAE residents. Earlier, it was announced that will EU begin transition to digitise and process online Schengen visa procedures. However, an update later stated that it will be another two years before we get our hands on the digitized Schengen visa. For over a year now, UAE residents have been facing delays in getting an appointment for the Schengen visa.
But now, GCC countries might soon launch their own ‘Schengen-style’ visa which will facilitate entry into all partner countries under one visa. The recent development was revealed during this year’s Arabian Travel Market on a panel with HE Fatima Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, Kingdom of Bahrain, Undersecretary HE Abdulla Al Saleh, Government of UAE, and Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO, Saudi Tourism Authority (STA). Here’s a low-down on everything that was discussed.
Also Read: OMAN Announces 14-Days Visa-Free Entry For Over 100 Countries
what is the new schengen visa sceheme?
The new visa could mean you could travel to all neighbouring countries under one visa. As of now, GCC nationals (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE) are already free to travel visa-free across the region. But, now the new visa scheme might also permit GCC residents- as in expats living in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and beyond to travel visa-free. The idea was received well by panelists at the Arabian Travel Market.
Speaking during the Arabian Travel Market, Fatima Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism in Bahrain, said that discussions have been taking place about making a unified single visa for GCC. “We see that happening very soon because we see people flying from abroad to Europe usually spending their time in several countries rather than in one country. We really saw the value this can bring not to each country but all of us”, Al Sairafi said.
The UAE’s Al Saleh said flexible travel across the Gulf would help boot tourism. “If long distance travellers come to this region, having a programme to maximise their visit to more than one country is amazing. The visitor will be more happy with visiting several countries, without restrictions crossing borders,” he explained.
Additionally, Bahrain’s minister of tourism said: “We have huge opportunity, the effort is in how to unify all the countries in the GCC. We had 9.9 million visitors in 2022. How? There was one key initiative that year, we started to co-promote Bahrain as a unified destination with the GCC. If all the GCC countries unified their efforts in promotion, the opportunities are incredible.”
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