India, Sept. 10 -- The long-awaited GCC Grand Tourist Visa is moving closer to launch, with the Gulf Cooperation Council secretary-general saying the unified permit will "see the light soon".

Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi made the remarks during a special session at the Security and History Dialogue 2026 in Riyadh on September 6, according to Khaleej Times. He did not provide a specific launch date or reveal the expected cost, validity period or application process.

The unified tourist visa is expected to allow foreign visitors to travel across all six GCC countries, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait, using a single visa, similar to Europe's Schengen system.

The proposed permit would allow international tourists, includi...