A UAE minister has confirmed that a new tourist visa that allows travel to all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has been officially approved and will be launched soon.

The UAE Minister of Economy shared the news in a press conference with Khaleej Times. The new visa will allow tourists to visit six GCC countries – Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, the UAE and Bahrain – with a single visa.

Once launched, tourists will no longer need to apply for a separate visa for each country. It will also make travel easier for people living in the region. The system will be similar to the Schengen visa system in European countries.