Positive Developments in Visa File: Citizens of 5 GCC Countries Move Closer to Schengen Visa Exemption
Negotiations regarding exempting citizens of five GCC countries from the Schengen visa have reached advanced stages, with the European Union formally initiating the procedural pathway toward visa-free travel.
- Negotiations to exempt citizens of five GCC countries (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar) from the Schengen visa have reached advanced stages, formally starting the procedural pathway.
- The EU emphasizes that full exemption is contingent upon meeting the required technical criteria, followed by European Parliament and Council approvals and individual bilateral agreements.
- A transitional measure has been implemented, granting citizens of the five countries a 5-year multiple-entry visa upon their first application.
- The prospective waiver will be strictly limited to citizens of the five countries and will not extend to foreign residents, while the UAE remains the only GCC state currently enjoying visa-free access since 2015.
Jasem Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), announced that negotiations regarding exempting citizens of five Gulf countries from entry visas to the Schengen area have reached advanced stages, describing the start of the process as "very close." Speaking to Arab News on the "Arab Views" podcast, Al-Budaiwi expressed expectations that tangible positive developments would be announced during the second GCC-EU Summit, which was scheduled to be held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on October 24, before being postponed to a later date to be announced subsequently.
In a notable development, and separately from the summit's date, the Council of the European Union took a significant formal step on October 19, 2026, adopting separate conclusions for each of the five countries—Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, and Qatar—formally announcing the initiation of the procedural process toward exempting citizens of these countries from the Schengen visa for short stays.
The Council clarified that lifting visa requirements "will only be considered after each country fully satisfies the required technical criteria and benchmarks," meaning that an immediate exemption has not yet been granted. The process still requires additional stages, including: a formal proposal from the European Commission, approval by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, and the signing of separate bilateral agreements with each individual country.
In a related context, the European Union approved a temporary benefit as a transitional solution, enabling citizens of the five countries to obtain a multiple-entry visa valid for five years upon their first application, rather than the standard short-term visas, while fees remain at 90 euros for the standard visa.
It is worth noting that the United Arab Emirates remains to date the only GCC country whose citizens enjoy direct visa-free entry to the Schengen area for short stays (90 days within any 180-day period), pursuant to a bilateral agreement signed with the European Union in May 2015.
Official sources also confirmed that the exemption—once officially adopted—will apply exclusively to nationals of the five GCC countries and will not extend to foreign residents holding residency in Gulf countries.
France News / Arab News
Source: www.arabnews.fr
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