The Gulf Cooperation Council will begin testing a “one-stop” travel process between the UAE and Bahrain next month. The pilot marks a major step toward a simplified system that removes repeated immigration and security checks when travelling within the Gulf.
The concept was highlighted during the 42nd GCC Interior Ministers meeting held in Kuwait City. GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi explained that travellers will complete all required procedures at one airport, and no additional inspections will take place.
The participating states, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, are working on a shared digital system to link border-control information. Officials say this platform will support the mutual recognition of checks and reduce delays caused by manual procedures. The pilot phase will examine how immigration, aviation, and customs agencies coordinate under this unified approach.
Although separate from the GCC’s upcoming GCC Unified Visa, the “one-stop” system supports the broader shift toward connected travel infrastructure. The GCC is also preparing the Unified Tourist Visa “GCC Grand Tours”, a single-entry permit that will allow foreign visitors to move across all six states without applying for separate visas.
The Unified GCC Visa was planned for late 2025, but has been recently delayed to be expected to launch in 2026.
The new processing model takes inspiration from arrangements in other regions, including the EU’s Schengen system, which relies on shared data and joint border procedures. GCC officials view the December rollout as a significant technical milestone.
Alongside these travel updates, Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and Ministers of Interior announced that the issues regarding GCC Visa will be sent to GCC foreign ministers for further review ahead of the next summit of regional leaders. They also confirmed upcoming joint security exercises across GCC nations and the launch of a Gulf Security Conference. The conference will focus on smart security systems, digital transformation, and new awareness initiatives, helped by artificial intelligence.
If the December trial between the UAE and Bahrain proves successful, the one-stop system could be expanded to all GCC countries to create faster and more coordinated travel across the region.