Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jassim Al-Budiwi revealed that the council is seriously striving to exempt Gulf citizens from the Schengen visa for entry into European countries in the upcoming period. During an interview with the “Ramadan Imagination” program on “Saudi Channel,” he urged European countries to follow the United Kingdom’s lead in granting Gulf citizens this exemption.
Al-Budiwi stressed the necessity of this development, highlighting the positive impact of Gulf citizens’ presence in Europe in various fields such as health, education, shopping, and trade exchange, among others. Therefore, he believes the six Gulf countries deserve this exemption, expressing his surprise at its non-implementation thus far.
He also mentioned that he would be heading to Brussels next week to finalize this matter.
European foreign ministers have adopted an amendment allowing those wishing to apply for a Schengen visa to do so via an electronic platform.
This initiative was highlighted by Patrick Simonnet, the EU’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the EU’s commitment to exempt citizens of all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries from visa requirements. This commitment aligns with the EU’s strategic partnership with Gulf states, indicating a significant step towards deeper cooperation between the regions. The process for facilitating entry for Gulf citizens, particularly from Saudi Arabia, involves discussions and plans to grant multiple visas more easily, with the European Council reportedly supporting negotiations to waive Schengen visa requirements for Gulf countries .
In a related development, Qatari citizens have recently been granted visa-free access to Schengen Zone countries, a decision confirmed by the European Parliament. This move is part of a broader strategy to ensure regional coherence and ultimately achieve visa-free travel for all GCC countries. It highlights the ongoing efforts to strengthen the partnership and cooperation between the EU and the GCC, further supported by the European Commission’s proposal to lift visa requirements for Qatar as the country has met all necessary conditions for such an agreement .
