EU visa exemption for GCC countries

The EU Commission has proposed visa-free travel to the European Union for citizens of Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman. The motion, which is yet to be approved, would add them to the EU’s list of visa-exempt countries, making them eligible for ETIAS in 2026 .

The proposal follows as assessment of certain criteria which included migration, economic security, public policy and security, and the relations between the EU and the GCC nations.

This new policy, which will apply to ETIAS, would facilitate smoother and faster travel for anyone with a Qatari, Kuwaiti, or Omani passport entering EU countries.

High Representative/Vice-President of the EU, Josep Borrell, said:

“Our proposal to lift visa requirements for Qatari and Kuwaiti nationals is a first step to make it easier for people from the entire region to travel to the European Union.”

A second proposal has also been made to include Oman in the visa waiver program. Through the process of visa exemption, the EU hopes to gain closer diplomatic ties with all countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

As for Saudi Arabia, EU Ambassador Patrick Simonnet explained how an upcoming visa exemption for the country could help improve cooperation between the two regions, in a recent interview for Arabic international newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat.

WHAT WOULD AN EU VISA EXEMPTION MEAN FOR CITIZENS OF GCC COUNTRIES?

If the new proposals are approved, GCC citizens will be permitted to travel to the EU without a visa. This means that these travellers will not have to apply for a visa before their trip, they can enjoy visa-free travel to all EU Member States, including the 4 Schengen associated nations — Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

Visa exemptions allow non-EU nationals to visit the EU more easily, encouraging movement and saving time for both border control and travellers. There are currently over 50 nations who are already visa-exempt.

The EU’s visa exemption policy allows eligible citizens to enter the European Union for shorts stays of up to 90 days in a 180-day period, for business, tourism, and family visits. Nationals of Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and more will benefit from this rule if they become visa-free.

WILL GCC CITIZENS NEED TO APPLY FOR ETIAS?

If Qatar and Kuwait become visa-exempt, citizens of both nations will become eligible for ETIAS — the European Travel Information and Authorization System.

This new visa waiver program will continue to allow eligible travellers to visit the EU without a visa, while protecting and strengthening border security. With the new proposal, Qatari and Kuwaiti passport holders will be added to the list of ETIAS countries.

HOW CAN CITIZENS OF GCC COUNTRIES APPLY FOR ETIAS?

Providing Qatar and Kuwait become eligible for the ETIAS travel authorisation, they will be able to apply easily online in time for their trip to Europe.

The ETIAS application process involves completing the simple ETIAS online form. Once the traveller has registered and their request is approved, the travel permit will be electronically linked to the Qatari or Kuwaiti passport.

Citizens from both countries will then be able to travel to the EU using just their passport, which is scanned at immigration to confirm their identity and validate their ETIAS.

As the ETIAS visa waiver is completely electronic, only Qatari and Kuwaiti travellers with biometric passports (ePassports) will be eligible to apply. Both nations already issue biometric passports to their citizens.

WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR THE QATAR AND KUWAIT VISA EXEMPTION?

The decision to grant visa-exemption to Qatar and Kuwait citizens now lies with the European Parliament and the Council.

If the proposal is approved, the European Union will then also negotiate visa waiver agreements with both countries. This is to ensure that EU nationals can also benefit from full visa reciprocity when travelling to Qatar and Kuwait. The vice-president of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, has already met with the Ambassador of Qatar, Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al Malki, to confirm the proposal.

This meeting announces the “culmination of the efforts of all parties in the country to move forward with the file of exempting citizens of the State of Qatar from the Schengen Visa.”, as stated in a press release by the Qatari Foreign Ministry.

WILL OMANI CITIZENS GET VISA EXEMPTION FOR SCHENGEN?

In addition to Kuwait and Qatar, the EU have also held meetings with representatives from the Sultanate of Oman. Several rounds of political consultations have now taken place discussing Oman joining the Schengen visa waiver.

The meetings have included talks on the measures that Oman must take for its citizens to be permitted visa-free entry to the Schengen Area.

They have also looked to strengthen the diplomatic ties between the EU and Oman. According to a statement from the Foreign Ministry of Oman:

“The session dealt with a review of the bilateral relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the European Union and ways to enhance and develop them to serve the common interests of both sides:”

The meetings appear to have been productive and it looks promising that Oman will be included in the negotiations for visa-free travel to Europe along with Kuwait and Qatar.

WILL OTHER NATIONS BE ADDED TO THE EU VISA EXEMPTION LIST?

The decision to consider adding Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Oman to the EU’s visa-exemption policy is part of a wider plan to incorporate all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries into the visa waiver program.

Josep Borrell, High Representative/Vice-President of the EU, said:

“The final objective is to ensure regional coherence and ultimately achieve visa free travel for all Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Together with our upcoming Joint Communication on the Gulf, this proposal will reinforce the overall partnership and strengthen the cooperation between the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council.”

Eventually, all GCC countries would become eligible for ETIAS, offering visa-free travel for all eligible citizens.