GCC Gives Go-Ahead for One-Stop Travel System Pilot in December

The UAE and Bahrain will launch the pilot phase of a new “one-stop” travel system in December 2025, according to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The system is aimed at simplifying regional air travel and will serve as a first step toward broader integration across all six member states.

Under this new model, passport control, customs, and security checks will be completed at only one point. The passengers will not face repeated inspections. For example, a Bahraini traveller heading to Dubai would complete all procedures in one airport without going through further checks.

GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi presented the initiative at the 42nd meeting of the Interior Ministers of the GCC in Kuwait City. He said that the “one-stop” system will reduce congestion and streamline processing by allowing immigration and security clearance to be done just once, with data shared across member states.

The participating countries in this model include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The plan is to test how well national systems, such as aviation, immigration, and customs, can coordinate using a shared digital infrastructure. 

The pilot between the UAE and Bahrain will help validate these systems and set the groundwork for full regional implementation.

Though the one-stop system and the GCC Unified Visa are separate initiatives, both are part of the council’s push for integrated digital travel frameworks.

The GCC plans to connect border control systems to recognize clearances granted at a single point. It also aims to reduce the need for manual inspections and improve passenger flow. Even though technical specifics remain limited, the system is expected to transform how Gulf citizens move between member states.

The new initiative comes as the GCC prepares for the rollout of the GCC Visa, also known as the Unified GCC Visa. While originally targeted for late 2025, this Unified GCC Tourist Visa, which allows travel across all six states under a single permit, is now expected in 2026.In separate news, Ministers of Interior and Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah agreed to refer the Unified Tourist Visa “GCC Grand Tours” project to the GCC foreign ministers for discussion at the next leaders’ summit. They confirmed plans for a joint mobilization exercise involving GCC security agencies and the launch of a Gulf Security Conference. The conference will focus on digital transformation, smart security, and awareness initiatives powered by artificial intelligence.