A visa waiver process for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) citizens in the Schengen area has been discussed between senior officials of the GCC and the European Union (EU).
This came during a meeting held in the Belgian capital, Brussels on Monday, March 18, between GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Al Budaiwi and Deputy Secretary-General of EU’s External Action Service Enrique Mora.
The meeting reviewed several topics of mutual interest regarding the GCC-European bilateral relations, in light of the strategic partnership between the GCC and the EU.
“Our presence, as Gulf citizens, in Europe is positive in terms of education, tourism, medical treatment, purchases or trade exchange. We are stable countries and export whatever is positive. We don’t export anything negative,” Al Budaiwi told Saudiah TV Channel.
“Oddly, we have not been exempted from this visa We deserve to be exempted from this visa.”
The Schengen visa allows short-term travel within 27 European member countries for up to 90 days, allowing access to major destinations like Germany, Spain, France, and Italy.
The visa can be a single-entry or a five-year multi-entry visa, depending on the traveller’s specific needs.
Schengen area countries
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Croatia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
In December 2023, the GCC summit in Doha approved a unified Gulf visa system, enabling holders to travel across the grouping’s six countries.
It is reported that the first unified Gulf visa will be issued this year.
