The GCC's unified tourist visa could reshape travel for Pakistanis

Arab News

4 hours ago

https://arab.news/g84ef
After years of speculation and deliberation, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has finally green-lit a unified tourist visa, a long-awaited move that promises to reshape travel and mobility across the region. While this step is undoubtedly a major win for regional tourism, its impact on the Pakistani diaspora, one of the largest expatriate communities across the Gulf, is particularly noteworthy.
For decades, Pakistani workers, students and families have navigated complex, often frustrating visa procedures for each individual Gulf state. From applying for separate visas for travel between Dubai and Doha to struggling with student documentation or missing out on major events like concerts or expos due to last-minute rejections, the process has been anything but seamless. The unified tourist visa offers a glimmer of relief. Though designed primarily for tourists, the ripple effect is far more expansive, opening doors for short-term mobility, job exploration, educational opportunities, and cross-border family reunions.
Consider this: In the first three months of 2025 alone, over 151,000 Pakistani workers relocated to GCC countries. These include both skilled professionals and unskilled laborers seeking better livelihoods and the chance to support families back home. For them, even temporary mobility between GCC countries can mean access to new job markets, interviews, trade expos, and skill training opportunities that would otherwise be financially and bureaucratically out of reach.
The emotional weight of these restrictions is not to be underestimated either. Countless Pakistanis living in the Gulf find themselves separated from family members in neighboring countries, unable to attend weddings, funerals, or even share a meal during Eid simply because of visa delays or denials. The recent Coldplay concert in Dubai, which saw several Pakistani fans turned away due to visa rejections despite holding confirmed tickets, was just one high-profile example of how cultural experiences, too, become inaccessible behind red tape. The new visa could allow families to plan trips, attend events, and spend quality time across borders without enduring the anxiety of visa roulette.
For the Pakistani diaspora, often the invisible workforce behind Gulf megacities, it is a small but symbolic shift toward acknowledgment and inclusion.
Sara Danial
Moreover, for students and young professionals, this visa could open up cross-GCC educational fairs, internships, workshops, and academic conferences, giving them the kind of exposure and access their peers in more mobile regions have long enjoyed. In a time when digital economies, innovation hubs, and collaborative education are reshaping the Gulf's landscape, this ease of movement is not just a convenience, it's an enabler of progress.
For Pakistan, the benefits go beyond personal mobility. The remittances sent back by Pakistani workers in the Gulf form the backbone of the country's fragile economy. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, remittances from GCC states alone make up a substantial portion of the country's foreign exchange reserves. Any move that facilitates smoother onboarding, better job access, and regional mobility for workers can directly impact the volume and sustainability of this economic lifeline.
But there's more. This unified visa also has the potential to boost tourism from Pakistan to lesser-visited Gulf destinations. While Dubai and Doha have long attracted visitors, countries like Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait may now see an uptick in Pakistani tourists and short-term business travelers who previously didn't find it worth the hassle or cost of applying for multiple visas. This not only enhances people-to-people ties but also presents an opportunity for regional cultural exchange.
That said, it's essential to acknowledge that the unified visa is, for now, a tourist visa, not a work or study permit. Skeptics may argue that its benefits for Pakistani workers or students are limited. But in practice, this visa provides the first layer of accessibility. It simplifies initial visits, lets prospective workers explore job markets, attend interviews, and build networks before securing long-term permits. Similarly, students can scout campuses, attend short courses or conferences, and explore their options with far less friction. It's the bridge before the commitment.
This step toward integration also signals something larger: a region increasingly recognizing the need for cooperation, not just in policy or economy, but in the lived experiences of the millions who call the Gulf home, even temporarily. For the Pakistani diaspora, often the invisible workforce behind Gulf megacities, it is a small but symbolic shift toward acknowledgment and inclusion.
Ultimately, for this policy shift to achieve its full potential, it must be coupled with clarity, accessibility, and perhaps, in time, expansion into work and study categories. But as a first step, it's an important one. It shows that the Gulf is ready to open up in ways that matter not just to tourists in luxury resorts but to workers, students, and families in shared apartments.
The GCC unified visa may be stamped as a tourist pass, but for millions of Pakistanis, it carries the promise of connection, convenience, and economic opportunity. At a time when the world feels increasingly divided, that's a border worth crossing.
—Sara Danial is an independent writer from Karachi.